Hungarian Kifli Cookies – Rich and flaky traditional Hungarian cookies filled with a light walnut filling. Perfect Christmas cookies!
Hungarian Kifli Cookies
If you haven’t tried kifli cookies, then you are sure in for a treat! I hadn’t had them either until I made this batch but after hearing stories about how incredible these cookies were, I knew I had to give them a shot. This kifli recipe that been passed down through the family for generations and is actually authentic. It was first posted in a Michigan newspaper a few decades back and a copy was passed down to me recently.
Now don’t be intimidated, the recipe is a lot easier than it sounds! What I liked the most was how these kifli cookies had such a light flavor. They weren’t overly sweet and would honestly be wonderful for breakfast too as they are very reminiscent of a pasty! You can make the filling sweeter but I choose to just use about 3/4 tbsp of sugar and I’m glad I went that route. After all of the really sweet cookies recently, these kifli were a welcome change!
Looking for more international cookie recipes? Make sure to check out my German Pfeffernüsse Cookies, Italian Pizzelle Cookies, and Swedish Muskotsnittar!
Tips on hungarian kifli cookies recipe
- Yes, you dissolve the yeast in sour cream. I know, it caught me off guard too, but it works!
- Make sure to grind the walnuts up pretty fine. I would actually go finer than I did on this batch.
- This recipe is actually halved, it makes about 16 cookies. If you want more, just double it!
Hungarian Kifli Cookies
Rich and flaky traditional Hungarian cookies filled with a light walnut filling. Perfect Christmas cookies!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup butter
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Filling
- 2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
- 3/4 cup ground walnuts
- sugar to taste
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and butter, cutting together with either two knives or a pastry cutter.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine sour cream, yeast, and sugar. Mix until well combined and let sit wile yeast dissolves.
- Add yeast mixture into the flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks. Mix dough together by hand until it is well combined. Split dough in half and wrap up in either plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Right before dough comes out of refrigerator, combine ingredients for filling. Set aside.
- On a large cutting board, sprinkle 1/3 cup flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Roll out dough into a thin circle before cutting into 8 triangles. Place 1 tsp of filling on each triangle and roll up starting on the wider end. Place on a lined cookie sheet with the open end down and bend the cookie a bit so it looks like a crescent. Repeat with process for all of the triangles from both things of dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve.
Love cookie recipes perfect for a cookie exchange?
Make sure to check out these recipes from other bloggers:
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies from Who Needs a Cape?
Coffee Shortbread Cookies from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure
Peppermint Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies from Seduction in the Kitchen
Dana DeVolk
Wow, these are going into my Christmas baking rotation, yum!
Chrisy
I’ve heard of these before but never tried them. Totally going to whip up a batch this holiday season 😀
Amy | The Cook Report
These look so lovely, can’t wait to try them!
Danielle
This is exactly the kind of dessert I like. These sound absolutely delicious! How do you think pecans would be in place of the walnuts? Walnuts aren’t my favorite nut…
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
These cookies look phenomenal – I want a few with a cup of coffee!
Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze
I haven’t had these before, but they sound like they’d be perfect with my coffee right now! I love that you dissolve the yeast in sour cream. Interesting technique!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
I have never heard of Kifli! But, now that I have, I can’t wait to make them. They look soft and tasty with the walnut filling! I’m always up for trying new recipes and I can’t wait to make your cookies!!
B
These are also traditional in our home. Grandma came from Hungary . We dont use nuts in ours. However our family recipe book has been sent down generations and has different types . Our main kupfel we roll and roll with granualted sugar. I personally like to roll them on top befor adding to the oven. Its so nice to see others out there who know this food. But for some reason our accents or names are a bit different.
madi
I love the idea of rolling them in granulated sugar! They seriously are such a great treat!
Christine
I’d like to try these. What type of yeast is used – regular or quick rise?
madi
I used Fleishmann’s active dry yeast!
Tal
True recipe! my family is Hungarian and have passed down a kifli recipe for who knows how long and I find it interesting that the other kifli recipes are so different than mine. Your recipe is the closest thing to mine! Hooray! Yes this is truly traditional and authentic Hungarian Kifli 🙂
madi
Yay, I’m glad it is close to yours! I also have tried other recipes but they are never quite as good as this one! 🙂