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Honey Walnut Nut Roll

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Honey Nut Rolls are filled with delicious ground walnuts and sweet honey. So perfect for any occasion!

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with ground walnuts and sweet honey. They’re sure to become a new holiday tradition.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Fleischmann’s® Yeast as a Bake a Little Extra Blog Ambassador. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.

Growing up, nut rolls were always a part of our holiday celebrations. While I don’t have memories of my Nana making them in her kitchen, I definitely remember her purchasing them from church to share with family and friends.

We’d slice them up, warm the slices in the microwave, and slather them with butter. Much like our pumpkin rolls, they were a holiday tradition that I looked forward to every single year.

Last week, my mom and I were doing some blog prop organization in my basement and we happened upon a copy of a handwritten recipe that I had tucked away in a binder years ago.

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with delicious ground walnuts and honey. The perfect homemade gift for friends and neighbors.

The recipe was written by my great grandmother’s neighbor, Elsie. When I was little, I’d visit Else’s house and she’d always greet me with food. Whether it was perfectly popped popcorn drizzled with melted butter, a bowl of finely diced apples, or a slice of warm nut roll, Elsie’s house was my favorite spot for an afternoon snack.

And according to my mom, Elsie’s nut rolls were second to none – especially her frosting. It always included her secret ingredient – a splash of whisky.

Although I’m pretty confident in the kitchen, Elsie’s recipe definitely seems to have a couple of gaps. So instead of tackling her beloved version of nut rolls, I decided to gain experience with them first with a little help from Fleischmann’s® Yeast and their recipe for Maple Walnut Nut Roll. Only we swapped out the maple flavoring and added in honey, to make it more like Elsie’s nut filling.

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with ground walnuts and delicious honey. So good with pecans too!

Yeast can be an intimidating element in baking. Even my mom was a little apprehensive after reading Elsie’s recipe, but I assured her that with quality yeast and an instant read thermometer, we’d be nut roll pros in no time. Plus, by using Fleischmann’s® RapidRise™ Yeast, we actually save a bit of time, which is always a good thing during the holiday season!

The Fleischmann’s® recipe was a breeze to follow and was quite delicious. The dough was soft and tender, and held up incredibly well to being rolled ultra thin. The honey we added paired perfectly with the ground walnuts to add a bit of depth and sweetness to the filling.

Overall, I had great success with my first attempt at nut roll. My dad and brother actually ate over half a roll in one sitting and they didn’t even warm it or add butter! And Elle was all about picking little pieces of frosting off the top of each piece.

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with ground walnuts and delicious honey. A new favorite for years to come!

We can’t wait to tackle Elsie’s recipe this weekend, so stay tuned for the results later this month. We’re even thinking about tackling poppyseed roll after that.

While classic holiday recipes are always a must-have, I hope this post inspires you to step out of your comfort zone a bit and bake a little extra while creating new memories and traditions that will last for years to come.

For more delicious recipes using Fleischmann’s® Yeast, be sure to check out my Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls and Potato Rolls – both are sure to be a big hit this holiday season!

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with delicious ground walnuts and sweet honey. So perfect for any occasion!

Honey Walnut Nut Roll

Yield: 4 rolls, 12 servings each
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Honey Nut Rolls are filled with ground walnuts and sweet honey. They’re sure to become a new holiday tradition.

Ingredients

  • 6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 envelopes Fleischmann's® RapidRise™ Yeast
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup butter
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 5 cups ground walnuts
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Combine sour cream, water and butter; heat to between 120° to 130°F. (Note: butter may not melt completely).
  3. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer.
  4. Add eggs and 1 cup flour.
  5. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
  6. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 8 to 10 minutes to form a ball.
  7. Cover and let dough rest 10 minutes.
  8. For filling, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar and honey. Add walnuts; blend well. Set aside.
  9. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.
  10. Roll out each piece into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle.
  11. Spread each with an equal amount of nut filling.
  12. Roll each up from the long side; seal edges.
  13. Place on greased baking sheets; sealed edges down. Cover. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  14. Bake rolls at 350°F for 35 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
  15. For frosting, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until mixture reaches desired consistency. Drizzle over each roll.
Nutrition Information
Yield 48 Serving Size 1 slice
Amount Per Serving Calories 253Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 32mgSodium 105mgCarbohydrates 26gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 4g

Did you make this recipe?

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Honey Nut Rolls are filled with ground walnuts and sweet honey. They're so delicious and sure to become a new favorite!

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Carol Chenko

Tuesday 29th of March 2022

Please confirm that these are the ingredients for the walnut filling. Can vanilla extract be added? Is this recipe for one or two rolls?

3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup honey 5 cups ground walnuts

Thank you!

Jamie

Wednesday 30th of March 2022

Hi Carol – That is correct, those are the filling ingredients. As noted in the recipe card, this recipe makes 4 rolls. I don't see why you can't add a bit of vanilla to the filling. Happy baking! -Jamie

Darrin Stryker

Thursday 19th of December 2019

My mom used to make these nut rolls every year. She has since passed and I now am the one searching for the recipe because I can't find the one she used. These are very similar instead of the icing she would brush with egg wash and then sprinkle alternately red and green stripes of sugar to make them look like candy canes. She would also bend one end around to make the candy cane and also look more authentic. This also helped to keep them from squatting when cooked. If I could upload a pic, I would. The family loves them. I will use your recipe this year. Thanks so much.

Beverly

Saturday 14th of December 2019

Do you have to put cream cheese in the dough?

Jamie

Saturday 14th of December 2019

Hello! Yes, the cream cheese is needed to achieve the proper texture and flavor of the dough. Hope this helps! Happy baking - Jamie

David B

Wednesday 13th of February 2019

My grandma Hough in Fort Smith Arkansas made a bunch of these (or a similar (no icing) nut roll) every Christmas back in the day, 1950 or so.

She would roll them up, then bend into a circle, ends almost touching, before baking. I think she wrapped them in foil next. I know she finished by wrapping in red or green cellophane and then distributed as gifts to friends and family. I haven't had one since she sent me a couple around 1974.

I'm a bit leary of trying making them myself, but if you or anyone else would send me one I would be glad to test it to see if this is the same as grandma's.

Thanks, David B

Kris

Tuesday 23rd of October 2018

Would I need to alter this receipe for high  altitude?

Jamie

Sunday 28th of October 2018

Hello! I haven't attempted this recipe at high altitude, so I am not sure of the result or changes needed. If you happen to give it a try, I'd love to know how it turns out. Thanks so much for stopping by. -Jamie

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