Nut Cookies with Apricot Jam

- 1070

Welcome to a recipe that perfectly balances textures and flavors: our delightful Nut Cookies with Apricot Jam. Imagine a tender, buttery shortbread base, a layer of sweet and tangy apricot jam, and a crunchy, caramelized topping of walnuts and almonds. These cookies are not just a treat; they're an experience. Simple to make yet impressively delicious, they are perfect for sharing with loved ones over a cup of tea or coffee, or even as a thoughtful homemade gift. Let's get baking!

A plate of freshly baked nut cookies with apricot jam, cut into squares.

Nut cookies with apricot jam

Cooking: 1 hour
Quantity: 6 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 527 kcal
Proteins: 8 g
Fats: 33 g
Carbohydrates: 44 g

Ingredients for the Nut Cookie Dough with Apricot Jam

  • 200 g all-purpose flour
  • 95 g butter
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • vanilla to taste

Ingredients for the Filling

  • 100 g walnuts
  • 50 g almonds
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 60 g butter
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 80 g apricot jam

How to Make Nut Cookies with Apricot Jam

A bowl with cubed softened butter and sugar, ready for mixing.

Cut the softened room temperature butter into cubes and mix with sugar.

Adding an egg white to the creamed butter and sugar in a bowl.

Add the egg white to the dough.

Sifting flour and baking powder into a bowl with the wet ingredients.

Sift the all-purpose flour with the baking powder into the bowl.


Let’s prepare the dough. Cut the softened room temperature butter into cubes and mix with sugar. Whisk the mixture until it becomes light in color.

Crack an egg and separate the yolk from the white. Add the egg white to the dough. It’s best to take the eggs out of the refrigerator in advance, as all ingredients for the dough should be at room temperature.

Mix the egg white with the butter and sugar. Sift the all-purpose flour together with the baking powder into the bowl.

A ball of freshly kneaded shortbread dough in a bowl.

Quickly knead the dough.

Quickly knead the dough. Wrap the finished dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Zesting a lemon with a fine grater to add flavor to the filling.

Grate a thin layer of yellow zest on a fine grater.

A pile of chopped walnuts and almonds on a cutting board.

Finely chop the walnuts and almonds or crush them with a rolling pin.

Melting sugar with butter and nuts in a saucepan for the cookie topping.

Heat the mixture until the sugar has completely melted.


Now, let’s make the filling. Scald the lemon with boiling water and wash it thoroughly. Grate a thin layer of the yellow zest using a fine grater. Place the butter in a saucepan, melt it, then add the granulated sugar and lemon zest.

Finely chop the walnuts and almonds or crush them with a rolling pin. Add the chopped nuts to the saucepan.

Heat the mixture until the sugar has completely melted. You can add a couple of teaspoons of milk to speed up the process.

Rolling out the cookie dough into a rectangle on a baking sheet.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin directly on the baking sheet.

The cookie dough rolled out into a neat rectangle on a baking sheet.

Form a rectangle from the rolled-out dough.

Spreading a layer of apricot jam over the rectangular cookie dough.

Spread the rolled-out dough sheet with cold apricot jam.


Dust a baking sheet with flour. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Roll it out with a rolling pin directly on the sheet. You can also roll out the dough on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Shape the rolled-out dough into a rectangle. I recommend making a shallow, almost invisible groove around the perimeter with your fingers to prevent the filling from spilling out during baking.

Spread the rolled-out dough sheet with cold apricot jam.

Spreading the cooled nut mixture over the apricot jam layer on the dough.

Place the cooled filling on top of the jam layer.

The nut filling spread evenly over the cookie base before baking.

Carefully spread the filling, avoiding the edges of the dough.

The nut cookie slab baking in the oven, turning golden brown.

Baking time is 20 minutes.

Cool the filling. Spread the cooled filling over the jam layer.

Carefully spread the filling, making sure not to go over the edges of the dough. The sugar will melt and might run, which could cause the cookies to burn.

Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F). Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven. The baking time is 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven’s characteristics. Keep an eye on the color of the dough and the aroma.

Finished nut and apricot jam cookies, cut into squares and served on a plate.

Cool the cookies and transfer them to a serving dish.

Take out the baking sheet and cut the hot cookie slab with a serrated knife directly on the sheet. Let the cookies cool, then transfer them to a serving dish.

And there you have it—beautiful, golden-brown nut cookies ready to be enjoyed! We hope you love the delightful contrast between the crumbly shortbread, the tangy apricot jam, and the rich, crunchy nut topping. These cookies store well in an airtight container for up to a week, making them a perfect make-ahead treat. Feel free to experiment with other jams like raspberry or fig, or try different nuts such as pecans or hazelnuts. Enjoy every delicious bite!