Walnut Roll (Cozonac cu Nuca)

Sweet Walnut Roll known as “Cozonac cu Nuca” is a traditional Romanian sweet bread made with raisins and walnuts or pecans enjoyed at Christmas and Easter.

The Best Walnut Roll Recipe

This Walnut Roll is one of my favorite Romanian recipes and it’s such a classic. This walnut roll surely is a treat. This is such a traditional Romanian “dessert” that we always make for the holidays and we call it “cozonac cu nuca“. It’s a crowd pleaser and although this recipe makes 3 rolls, there is never enough!

I don’t think there’s a Christmas or Easter that goes by and this nut roll isn’t on the table. It truly is a favorite, and everyone just loves it. This is another recipe I shared with you a very long time ago and I’m reposting because it’s one of my favorites. If I had to pick 10 recipes from my blog that are my favorite, this recipe will be at the top.

I have to give credit to my mother in law for this “cozonac cu nuca” and while I may be a bit biased, I’ll go as far as saying that this is the best walnut roll recipe ever!

• Raisins – An important ingredient that makes the bread along with the nuts.  
• Rum – I usually use dark rum, but both dark and light rum are delicious choices. 
• Active Dry Yeast – Make sure to check the expiration date on your yeast. It’s what makes the bread rise in the oven.
• Water – You need warm water for this recipe.
• Milk – Any type of milk will work including plant-based varieties. Ideally, use room temperature milk.
• Butter – Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of added salt. The butter will be melted in this recipe.
• Lemon Zest – Adds a hint of acid that enhances all the flavors. You can also add a bit of orange zest.
• Sugar – White granulated sugar is used to sweeten the walnut roll.
• Flour – Simple all-purpose flour is all you need. 
• Eggs – The large eggs need to be separated and should be at room temperature.
• Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

• Nuts – Walnuts or pecans work best. You can also use a mixture of the two. I love to use pecans but traditionally walnuts are used.
• Sugar – White sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the filling.
• Cocoa Powder – Dutch process cocoa powder is the best choice if you have it on hand. It adds the best chocolate flavor to the nut roll recipe. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon if you like.

• Oil – Oil is used in place of flour to ensure that the dough doesn’t stick when being rolled out. 
• Egg – Used to make an egg wash that gives the bread a lovely shine.
• Sugar – It’s an optional ingredient used to sprinkle on the bread before it goes into the oven. 

This recipe may look complicated, but it’s actually pretty easy! The mixer does most of the hard work and the dough is really easy to fill and form into loaves. All you have to do is follow these easy steps that I’ve outlined for you here. 

To begin, the raisins need time to soak up the rum. So add the raisins to a small bowl and then cover them with the rum. Then allow the raisins to sit in the rum to plump up while you continue on with the recipe. 

Now, in a separate bowl, you need to bloom the yeast. To do this, stir the yeast and warm water together and then let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes undisturbed to activate. The yeast should foam up and be bubbly. If it doesn’t, don’t move forward with the recipe. It means that your yeast is dead and your bread will not rise.

Next, add the milk, butter, lemon zest, and sugar to a saucepan. Then heat the mixture over medium-low heat just until the butter melts while string with a wooden spoon. You do not want to boil it or it will kill the yeast. You just need to dissolve the sugar. 

Now, you can drain the raisins if you wish, but I add them with the rum and all to the mixer bowl. Then add the flour, 5 egg yolks, vanilla extract, milk mixture, yeast mixture, and raisins to the bowl of your stand mixer. Then use the dough hook to mix everything together for about 5 minutes on medium speed. When the dough is ready there should be no bits of flour and it should come off the sides of the bowl. It’s a very sticky soft dough, so the more you mix it the fluffier it will be.

After the dough is made it needs time to rise. Form the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a large bowl that has been greased with one tablespoon of oil. Then rub another tablespoon of oil over the dough. Now, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and then set it in a warm, draft free environment until the dough doubles in size. It normally takes the dough 1 to 2 hours to rise.

After the dough has been rising for a bit, grease 3 loaf pans that are 12 x 4.5 x 3 inches. You can also use the regular smaller loaf pans too if you prefer. The most important thing is that you grease them well so that the bread doesn’t stick. 

Make the filling while the dough is rising. Add the nuts to a food processor and pulse a few times until they are finely ground. Then add the sugar and cocoa powder and pulse a few more times until everything is well incorporated. 

Now, whip the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Next, gently fold the nut mixture into the egg whites. Then place the filling in the fridge for a later step.

Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 3 equal portions. Then oil a clean work surface to roll out the dough. In this case, we won’t be using a floured surface. Next, use a rolling pin to roll out one piece of the dough into a rectangle that is about ½ inch in thickness and the width of your loaf pan.

Now, spread ⅓ of the nut mixture over the dough, roll it up jelly style, and place it in the pan seam side down. Then repeat the process with the other 2 pieces of dough. 

You can also divide each of the 3 equal portions into 2 pieces and roll out each piece and spread walnut mixture over it and roll it. Then take the two rolls and twist them and place the twist into the prepared pan. You can also get creative making these, you can make them round or sometimes I’ll braid them in 3, sometimes when I’m feeling brave I’ll braid them in 6 and they turn out gorgeous. The thing is, that no matter how you shape them, the end result is divine.

Now that the rolls are formed, they need to rise before being baked. Cover the loaf pans with a clean kitchen towel or plastic bag. Then place the pans in a warm, draft free environment for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rolls have doubled in size.

While the loaves are rising, preheat your oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) to get it ready for baking. Then once the rolls have doubled in size, brush each one with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Adding the sugar is optional but yummy.

When the oven is fully preheated, put the walnut rolls in to bake for 35 to 45 minutes. When done, the top will be golden brown in color and a toothpick inserted into the middle will come out clean. 

After you remove the loaves from the oven, allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Next, run a knife around the edges of the pan to ensure the bread didn’t stick. Then remove the loaves and put them on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. 

Is There A Way To Speed Up The Dough Rise Time?

Yes, it is possible to speed up the dough’s rising time. Just heat your oven to 200°F (195°C) and then turn it off once the dough is ready. Now, place the dough in the oven with the door closed. The warm environment will encourage the dough to rise fairly quickly.

Can These Walnut Rolls Be Made With Instant Yeast?

Yes, they can. However, instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated, so you can just add it in with the flour. However, you will need to add the ¼ cup of water in the recipe so that the ratios remain the same. 

Storage

These walnut rolls (Cozonac Cu Nuca) will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days in a container, bag, or covered with aluminum foil. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed bag or wrapped really well in plastic wrap. Then when ready to eat, just allow the rolls to thaw out at room temperature for a few hours and rewarm them at 300°F(149°C) for 10 minutes.

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