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Loading...These crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth Chinese walnut biscuits are a beloved bakery classic studded with toasted walnuts and finished with a glossy egg wash. The buttery shortbread-style dough is delicately sweet and develops beautiful natural cracks as it bakes. Serve with jasmine or pu-erh tea for an authentic afternoon snack.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time22 mins
Total Time42 mins
Servings8
Yield8 biscuits
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 285 kcalCalories
- 16 gFat
- 8 gSaturated Fat
- 31 gCarbs
- 1.5 gFiber
- 10 gSugar
- 5 gProtein
- 120 mgSodium
- 85 mgPotassium
- 30 mgCalcium
- 1.5 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 220 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
For topping and assembly
- 8 walnut halves
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until fully combined.
- Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together, then add to the wet mixture. Stir gently with a spatula just until a soft, slightly crumbly dough forms; do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (about 45 g each) and roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass, gently press each ball to flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Press one walnut half firmly into the center of each biscuit.
- Whisk the egg yolk with water to make an egg wash, then brush it generously over the top of each biscuit, avoiding the walnut. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds if using.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden brown and natural cracks have formed across the surface.
- Let the biscuits cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; they will crisp as they cool.
Cook’s Notes
- Powdered sugar is essential for the smooth, fine-crumbed texture; do not substitute granulated sugar.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added—overworking will make the biscuits tough rather than crumbly and tender.
- For an authentic bakery flavor, substitute half the butter with rendered lard, which gives the classic taste found in traditional Chinese bakeries.
- Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week; they stay crisp and tender for days.
- The signature cracks on top form naturally as the biscuits bake due to the high-fat dough—do not try to smooth them out before baking.
