Grandma's Nut Roll Recipe

Updated: Apr 9, 2025 to include new step-by-step photos, clarified instructions, and/or improved tips for best results.· by Sarah Mock· 30 Comments This post contains affiliate links.

My Pittsburgh grandmother made this nut roll every Christmas AND Easter; it was the one thing everyone at the table was waiting for. This is her recipe, also known as kolachi, Slovak nut roll, Polish nut roll, or walnut roll, depending on which part of Eastern Europe your family came from.

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nut roll sliced and fanned out showing texture vertical image

Whatever name you know it by, the recipe is the same: a soft, buttery yeast dough wrapped around a sweet ground walnut filling, baked until golden, and sliced into swirled rounds that taste like every holiday at once. This recipe makes 2 long rolls or 4 smaller ones, your choice, enough to share and enough to freeze for later.
Also on my holiday baking list will be Biscoff Butter Cookies and candied orange slices.

A Christmas and Easter Tradition

Nut rolls are one of the few recipes that show up at both Christmas and Easter tables in Slovak, Polish, and Hungarian households - and for good reason. In Slovakia, nut roll was traditionally part of the ceremonial Easter food basket taken to church for blessing, a practice that goes back generations. In Pittsburgh and across northeastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and Cleveland, nut rolls are as synonymous with Easter as ham. If this is your first time making them for Easter, plan ahead - they are better the next day and freeze beautifully, so you can bake them a week in advance.

Nut Roll Dough Ingredients:

This is my grandmother's recipe and this recipe makes 2 long homemade Slovak nut rolls or 4 nut rolls, of a smaller size.

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

How to make the yeast dough:

To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk and sprinkle with the yeast and sugar. Allow bubbles to form. It should take about 10 minutes.
Add the softened butter, sour cream, eggs, 4 cups of flour and salt. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed until a dough is just beginning to form, 1-2 minutes. A dough hook is on my list of must-have attachments for the KitchenAid mixer.
Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and let the machine knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes more. The dough will be soft and come off the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, dust lightly with additional flour if the dough is sticky, lightly knead the dough by hand to form a smooth ball, then return it to an oiled bowl.
Cover the bowl with a towel letting the dough rise in a warm place, doubling in size, 50-60 minutes.

To make the walnut filling:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest, spices, and sugars.
Stir in the walnuts and one egg. Allow the filling aside to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Top Tip

Poke 5-6 holes with a chopstick all the way through the roll. This will give the steam a place to escape, preventing the possibility of the nut rolls splitting.

How to roll the dough out

Start by dividing the dough in half. Lightly dust the surface with flour and use a rolling pin to roll one half of the dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle, about 12-by-10 inches.
With the longer side of the dough facing you spread half of the nut filling over the dough in an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border on the bottom edge.
Roll up the nut roll lengthwise like a jelly roll, covering the filling.
Pinch the edge to seal the edge, and transfer the roll to the baking sheet.
Repeat the process with the second piece of dough and the remaining filling, leaving at least 4 inches between the rolls on the rimmed cookie sheet. Cover the loaves with a towel and let sit until they are risen slightly, about 35 minutes.
When ready to bake, brush the loaves with the egg wash and poke 5-6 holes with a chopstick all the way through the roll and transfer to the oven. This will give the steam a place to escape, preventing the possibility of the nut rolls splitting.
Bake until evenly golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
Remove and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Rolls can be sliced and eaten once cooled, but are better the next day. Use a serrated knife to cut the rolls into 1-inch-thick slices.

Seasonal Favorite

Two jars of seedless blackberry jam on a wooden table.

This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.

Black Raspberry jam Recipe

FAQ's and Tips

head on image of a slice of nut roll showing swirls

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes - doubled works well and the dough ratios hold up. Do not triple it. When the recipe is tripled, the dough ratios get off and the texture suffers. If you need a large batch for Easter or Christmas, make two separate doubled batches rather than one triple batch.

Why does my nut roll crack?

Cracking usually happens at the final seam when the dough is rolled too thin or has dried out. Keep the dough just above ¼ inch thickness - thinner than that and it cannot hold the tension of the filling as it expands in the oven. If you want extra insurance, leave the edge that becomes the final seam slightly thicker than the rest. Make sure the egg wash goes all the way to every edge, including that final seam, and that the seam is placed face-down on the baking sheet. The chopstick steam vents also help - poking 5-6 holes through the roll gives steam somewhere to go so it does not force its way out through the seam.

Can I freeze nut rolls?

Yes - and this is actually the best way to manage them for the holidays. Let the baked rolls cool completely, then wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight at room temperature still wrapped. Slice once fully thawed. The texture holds up remarkably well and many people say the flavor is even better after freezing. My grandmother always pulled hers from the freezer at Christmas - she baked them weeks ahead.

What is the difference between nut roll, kolachi, and walnut roll?

They are all the same thing - the name just depends on where your family is from. Nut roll is the common American name used across Pittsburgh, northeastern Ohio, and southwestern Pennsylvania. Kolachi (also spelled kolache or kolace) is the Slovak and Czech name. Walnut roll is the straightforward English description. Hungarian families call a similar version bejgli. Polish families may call it makowiec when it has a poppy seed filling instead of walnut. Whatever name it goes by, the technique is the same: sweet yeast dough, ground walnut filling, rolled up and baked golden.

Can I make the dough the night before?

Yes. After the first rise, punch the dough down, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight. The next day let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. The cold fermentation actually improves the flavor of the dough - it develops a slightly more complex, almost buttery depth. This is a great make-ahead strategy for Easter morning when oven time is precious.

What is the best way to slice a nut roll?

Use a serrated knife and wait until the rolls are completely cool - ideally the next day. A serrated knife cuts through the crisp exterior without crushing the soft interior or smearing the walnut filling. Slice into 1-inch rounds.

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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