Keep walnuts smaller than 1/8 inch so they do not puncture the thin rolled shell.
Egg-yolk shortbread rolls enclosing a thick fig paste with finely chopped walnuts.
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Fig Walnut Filled Shortbread Rolls Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- saucepan
- bowl
- mixer
- rolling pin
- ruler
- knife
- two 13 x 18-inch half sheets
- parchment
- rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Make filling and dough
- Make filling and dough: Simmer figs and water covered for 10 minutes; uncover and stir until a thick mash holds a spoon track. Fold in walnuts and cool in a shallow dish for 30 minutes. Stir butter and sugar smooth, mix in yolk, then flour and salt until a pliable dough gathers.
Fill and chill
- Fill and chill: Roll dough between parchment into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle about 3/16 inch thick; chill 20 minutes. Cut into three 12 x 2 2/3-inch strips. Divide the cooled filling in a narrow line down each long center. Fold both long edges over the filling and pinch sealed. Place seams down and chill 30 minutes; cut each roll into eight 1 1/2-inch pieces, making 24.
Bake the whole batch
- Bake the whole batch: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Use two parchment-lined 13 x 18-inch half sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes, turning front to back halfway; keep the waiting tray refrigerated. Edges and bases should be pale gold and the centers dry. Whole-batch oven time is 44 minutes for both trays.
Cool the filled rolls
- Cool the filled rolls: Rest 10 minutes on trays, then cool 30 minutes on a rack so the fig centers no longer feel warm. The 40-minute cooling allowance includes the tray rest.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: 40 min hands-on + 80 min required chill/rest + 44 min whole-batch oven baking + 40 min cooling/setting = 204 min. Cooling includes tray/pan rests and runs from the final tray; earlier-tray cooling may overlap later baking. Ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra; preheat during shaping/chilling. Scale ingredients and US equivalents, not oven temperature, piece sizes or per-tray bake time; extra trays extend the whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Yolk gives the thin shortbread shell pliability, while cooked-down fig paste keeps the sealed interior from flooding the seam.
Technique & texture
Keep walnuts smaller than 1/8 inch so they do not puncture the thin rolled shell.
Finishing & serving
The centers remain soft after the shell cools; use within 2 days at cool room temperature for the clearest texture contrast.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 2 days | Up to 2 days. Seal fully cooled filled cookies airtight in a cool dry room. Separate layers with parchment; the filling gradually softens the crumb. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for this formula; use only if the room is warm. Seal airtight to prevent condensation and odors. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze the unfilled dough tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then shape and complete the stated chill. Prepare the filling fresh. Thawing time is additional. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze completely cooled cookies airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw sealed at room temperature for 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing. Do not oven-refresh the assembled or coated cookies. Serve once thawed; reseal unused portions. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is yolk added to the shell?
Yolk gives the thin shortbread shell pliability, while cooked-down fig paste keeps the sealed interior from flooding the seam.
How finely should I chop walnuts?
Keep walnuts smaller than 1/8 inch so they do not puncture the thin rolled shell.
Should the fig center become crunchy?
The centers remain soft after the shell cools; use within 2 days at cool room temperature for the clearest texture contrast.
