Nussecken (German Nut Corners)

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No platter of German Christmas cookies would be complete without Nussecken (Nut Corners). This beloved layered slice is eternally popular at Christmas time, and it’s easy to see why!

Made from buttery shortbread pastry, topped with apricot jam and sticky hazelnuts, this triangular treat is taken to the next level by dipping the corners in dark chocolate. Delicious!

Table of Contents

A tray of Nussecken German Nut Corners with Christmas decorations.

Ingredients

To make classic German Nussecken, you’ll need the following main ingredients:

Hazelnuts: The star of the show in these nutty delights! All year round, but particularly at Christmas time, we use a lot of hazelnuts in German baking, so they are very easy to come by. If you can’t get ground or chopped hazelnuts where you are, check the recipe card for instructions on toasting and preparing whole nuts. Alternatively, replace them with almonds.
Sugar: I use white sugar in this recipe as I prefer to taste the hazelnuts. However, you can use brown sugar in the nut layer if you want a more pronounced caramel flavour.
Butter: I always use unsalted butter in baking to control the amount of salt in the final product.
Flour: Plain or all-purpose flour is suitable for this recipe.
Apricot Jam: I like to use a high fruit content jam that is quite smooth for easy spreading for the apricot layer. If using apricot preserves with large pieces of fruit, I’d recommend pureeing them to make them smooth. If you don’t like apricots, you can replace it with any other tart jam or jelly. Raspberry (sieved to remove the seeds) or red currant are very nice.
Dark Chocolate: Use high-quality dark chocolate for best results. I often melt double as much chocolate as I need to make dipping more manageable, then re-melt the rest for use in other recipes.

Instructions

Nussecken are very simple to make at home, and this recipe makes a big tray, so there are plenty to go around!

First, cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well, then sift over the dry ingredients, mixing gently, just until a smooth, soft dough forms. Wrap in clingfilm and chill while you prepare the nut layer.
To make the nut layer, melt butter in a saucepan, then stir in sugar, vanilla sugar and water. Stir through the chopped and ground hazelnuts, then remove from the heat.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 with a rack in the bottom third (this helps to cook the base of the Nussecken while preventing the nuts on top from over-browning). Roll out the shortbread dough to approximately 30x40cm (12x 15.5 in), then transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment paper. This is a soft dough (Murbteig), so it may be easier to roll it out between two sheets of paper or clingfilm.
Spread the dough with a thin layer of apricot jam, then top with the nut mixture, spreading it gently and evenly across the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing into triangles. When the Nussecken have cooled completely, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water, then dip the tips of the two longest sides in the chocolate. Place on a tray lined with baking paper to set before storing.