Nussecken (German Nut Corners)

Nussecken is a popular German snack that translates into 'nut corners'. Made of a crunchy short crust pastry base, topped with jam, honey nuts and then dipped in dark chocolate, irresistibly delicious.

If you grew up in Germany, like I did, these classic Nussecken must have certainly been a part of your childhood! Mostly given as an after school snack or baked around Christmas time, you can make a big batch of these biscuits (the recipe makes 18 corners) and keep it for weeks.

So, after a few practise runs, (I got a hold of my mum's recipe during our recent trip home) I have mastered these nutty snack corners.

My son loves them so much that it's become our go-to snack at home! Makes me so happy to see him enjoy them, as much as I did, as a child.

Jump to:

• What you need
• Making the shortcrust base
• The topping
• Cutting the nussecken
• FAQ's
• More German recipes
• Nussecken (German Nut Corners)

What you need

For the base of the Nussecken, you need basic ingredients for a shortcrust like dough:

Flour and Almond Meal, as this is a recipe for a nut biscuit, almond meal is added to the base for a nutty flavour.

Sugar, for sweetness, unsalted Butter and Eggs to bind the dough.

Cinnamon, adds a lovely flavour to the German Nut Corners, add some more if you are making them for Christmas. And a pinch of Salt.

For the top:

Jam, I used raspberry jam as that's what I had. Traditionally, you would use apricot jam or even quince jelly but honestly, any jam works!

Nuts, you can use a variety of nuts for this recipe. Nuts can be expensive so choose what works for you. It might look slightly different but it's still a Nutty Corner.

Butter and Honey, preferably use natural honey that is light in colour and runny with a mild aroma.

Dark Chocolate, to dip the corners into. I use 75% dark chocolate to balance the sweetness in the Nut Corners.

Making the shortcrust base

The base for the nut corners is made from a typical shortcrust recipe. Here we use classic ingredients, flour, butter, egg, sugar and salt. The only additions, are almond meal and cinnamon.

Feel free to add other flavours if you like. Lemon zest, vanilla, cocoa powder are some favourites.

To make it, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the butter while still cold, otherwise you risk overworking the dough which may result in a tough pastry.

Gently mix all ingredients and form into a slab with your hands.

Important is to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, it makes it easy to roll it out afterwards.

I like to cut a piece of baking paper to the size of the baking tray I'm using and roll out the dough directly on it.

I can then transfer the dough straight onto the tray, without touching it. Keep the dough about thumb nail thick.

Once you have placed the dough on your baking tray, press the corners and sides with your fingers to get it as even as possible.

Now prick the dough with a fork and pre bake the dough at 160°C (320°F) for 15 minutes.

The topping

While the base for the german nut corners is in the oven, you have time to prepare the topping.

Have the nuts ready. I chopped the walnuts but left the almonds sliced as they are. I love the way they look on the surface after baking but feel free to use chopped almonds, pecan or hazelnuts instead.

In a pot, melt the butter, honey and sugar. Be careful not to burn the honey, you just want it all combined and the sugar dissolved.

Now remove the pot from the heat and while it's still hot, add the nuts. Stir well to combine and keep aside.

When the shortcrust is almost done, heat the jam in a small pot to make it slightly runny.

Remove the shortcrust from the oven and brush the entire surface with the jam.

Top with the nut mixture and spread out evenly.

Place the tray back into the oven and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 22 to 25 minutes.

If the colour of the nuts is still pale after 20 minutes, increase the temperature to get a more brownish colour.

Cutting the nussecken

Cut the nut corners into even triangles, you will need a ruler and basic maths😉 Saying that, even my triangles are far from perfect but I hate wastage so I used the entire tray rather than cutting perfect corners.

The easiest is to cut the nussecken while it's still warm but you can cut it even after it has chilled using a sharp knife.

This recipe makes 18 corners which might seem like a lot but luckily these keep well for weeks and most probably you won't have to bother storing them, as they will be eaten before that😂

To decorate the nut corners melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Dip the corners into the melted chocolate and place on a wire rack to cool.

Some bakers in Germany, dip all three sides of the nussecken in chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over the top.

But hey, if you don't have the patience to melt the chocolate, dip the corners or drizzle the chocolate on top, just keep them plain! They are scrummy either ways😋

FAQ's

More German recipes

If you enjoy cooking German food or would like to try some German recipes, here are some of our favourite's:

• pflaumenkuchen a German classic plum cake with crumble on the top
• black forest tart assembled in a glass for a fancy look
• bavarian chocolate cream topped with puffed rice
• flammkuchen a German style pizza topped with bacon and onions
• bread dumplings served in a creamy mushroom sauce
• braised red cabbage done the German way!

How to eat nussecken

Yes, you eat them with your hands of course but I just want to share my favourite technique to eat them😉

Eat the chocolate corners first and then work your way to the middle - it's also the best way to avoid chocolate fingers🤣

Jokes aside, whichever way you choose to eat them, they surely will be nutty delicious!!