Dessert · Breakfast · Eastern European ·

Sweet Romanian Cozonac with Walnuts and Cocoa

Name: Sweet Romanian Cozonac with Walnuts and Cocoa
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, 1 kg; Dry yeast, 7 g (or 25 g fresh yeast); Sugar, 200 g; Lukewarm milk, 500 ml; Unsalted butter, melted, 100 g; Eggs, 5 large, room temperature; Vanilla extract, 1 tsp; Lemon zest, Zest of 1 lemon; Salt, 1/2 tsp; Ground walnuts, 300 g; Sugar, 100 g; Cocoa powder, 3 tbsp; Warm milk, 1/4 cup; Rum extract, 1 tsp; Egg, beaten, 1; Milk, 1 tbsp

A traditional Romanian sweet bread filled with walnuts and cocoa, perfect for festive occasions or indulgent breakfasts.

4.1(860 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·August 5, 2025

Sweet Romanian Cozonac with Walnuts and Cocoa — Dessert served and photographed from above

Prep

1 h 10 min

Cook

3 h 30 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

For the Dough

For the Filling

For the Egg Wash

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 4671 kcal
Protein: 104.5 g
Carbs: 574 g
Fat: 166.5 g
Fiber: 28.5 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 9342 kcal
Protein: 209 g
Carbs: 1148 g
Fat: 333 g
Fiber: 57 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
All-purpose flour 1 kg	3640	100	760	10	30
Dry yeast 7 g (or 25 g fresh yeast)	22	3	2	0	1
Sugar 200 g	772	0	200	0	0
Lukewarm milk 500 ml	310	16	24	16	0
Unsalted butter, melted 100 g	717	1	0	81	0
Eggs 5 large, room temperature	350	30	2	25	0
Vanilla extract 1 tsp	12	0	1	0	0
Lemon zest Zest of 1 lemon	6	0	2	0	1
Salt 1/2 tsp	0	0	0	0	0
Ground walnuts 300 g	1962	48	42	192	21
Sugar 100 g	386	0	100	0	0
Cocoa powder 3 tbsp	36	3	9	2	5
Warm milk 1/4 cup	38	2	3	2	0
Rum extract 1 tsp	12	0	1	0	0
Egg, beaten 1	70	6	1	5	0
Milk 1 tbsp	9	0	1	0	0

These are estimates, not dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Dough

1
Activate the yeast
Dissolve the yeast in a little lukewarm milk with 1 tbsp sugar; let it sit until frothy.
Tip: Use fresh yeast for the best bread rise and flavor.
2
Combine dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.
3
Mix and knead dough
Add the yeast mixture, eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. Knead for 10 minutes or until elastic.
Tip: Knead until smooth and stretchable to enhance texture.

Preparing the Filling

1
Mix dry filling ingredients
In a bowl, mix the ground walnuts, sugar, and cocoa powder.
Tip: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for even mixing.
2
Form filling paste
Stir in the warm milk and rum extract to make a smooth paste.

How to Make Sweet Romanian Cozonac with Walnuts and Cocoa

Total time: 4 h 40 min · Yields 4 servings

1
Rising the Dough
Cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
2
Filling the Dough
Punch down the dough, divide into two, roll each out on a floured surface. Spread the filling and roll into logs.
3
Baking the Cozonac
Place rolls into greased loaf pans, allow to rise another 30 minutes. Brush with egg wash and bake at 180°C (350°F) until golden.