Ischler Cookies
Ischler cookies date back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and have remained a popular treat in many Central and Eastern European countries that were once part of it. You can find them in various forms in places like Austria, Hungary, and Romania, especially during the holidays.
Homemade Ischlers are the perfect blend of crunchy, nutty, and chocolatey goodness—unlike anything you’ll find in the store—and they look stunning on your Christmas cookie plate.
While they do take some time to make, you can easily split the process over two days. On day one, prepare the dough, cut out the circles, and bake them. Then, on day two, fill them with that rich chocolate cream and coat them with a glossy glaze. After just an hour of resting in the fridge, they’re ready to be devoured!
Have I convinced you they’re worth a try? I’ll leave the recipe below. 😊
Christmas Ischler Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 150 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 1 yolk
- 100 g ground walnuts
- 220 g cake flour type 000
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
For the cream:
- 100 g sugar
- 4 tbsp water
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 1 yolk
- 150 g high fat butter
For the glaze:
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Blend the butter and sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla essence and continue mixing.
- Stir in the sifted flour and grated walnuts. You will get a crumbly dough. Shape it into a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356° F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Once chilled , transfer dough to a floured surface and roll it out into a 0.5 cm (1/5 of an inch) thick sheet.
- Cut out 4-6 cm (1 ½ – 2 ½ inch) diameter circles and transfer them to a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before filling with cream.
For the chocolate cream:
- Put the sugar and water in a saucepan. Melt the sugar over medium heat, then add the chopped chocolate.
- Take the saucepan off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes, then add the egg yolk and mix well with a whisk. Allow the cream to cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
- Blend the butter for 1 minute, then fold in the chocolate cream, mixing constantly.
For the chocolate glaze:
- Melt the chopped chocolate in a steam bath and add two tablespoons of oil. The oil will give the glaze a very nice shine.
Assembly:
- Cover half the cookies with the chocolate glaze. Place the cookies on a rack over a cooking sheet and spoon the glaze onto the center of each cookie, making sure it covers the entire surface and the sides. Place a half walnut in the middle of each one.
- Place the cookie rack in the freezer for a few minutes until the glaze hardens completely.
- Pour the chocolate cream into a piping bag and pipe it onto the bottom side of the unglazed cookies.
- Place a glazed cookie on top of a creamed cookie and decorate with walnuts.
Serving and storage:
- The cookies can be served immediately after baking or can be stored for a few days in the fridge in a food contained with a lid.
Notes
Related: Easy Linzer Recipe
Related: Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Related: Walnut-Shaped Cookies with Caramel Cream
Related: Walnut Crescent Cookies
Related: Şekerpare (Turkish Cookies)
Related: Chocolate Linzer Cookies
These cookies give me strong Christmas vibes. Part of me wants to add some edible gold glitter or something to the walnuts on top. Might make it look even more festive : )