Romanian Cozonac Recipe

A high-angle view of thick slices of Cozonac bread.

This Cozonac features a traditional walnut filling twisted inside a rich, buttery yeast dough. See the recipe notes for freezing and make-ahead instructions.

Course Sweet Bread, Yeast Bread

Cuisine Balkan, bulgarian, romanian

Keyword Cozonac, Cozonac recipe, walnut roll

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Refrigerate & Rise time 3

Total Time 4 5

Servings 1 loaf

Calories 3332kcal

Author Hafedh Garfa

Ingredients

Sponge Starter

60 grams (¼ cup) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
30 grams (¼ cup) bread or all-purpose flour
7 grams (2 and ¼ teaspoons) active or instant dry yeast

Dough

160 g/ml (⅔ cup) whole milk, cold
10 grams 1 tablespoon lemon zest, zest of 1 large lemon
10 grams 1 tablespoon orange zest, zest of 1 large orange
2 egg yolks at room temperature
8 grams (1.5 teaspoons) salt
50 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
390 grams (3 and ¼ cups) bread or all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
113 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

3 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, rum, or brandy
pinch of salt
10 grams (1.5 tablespoons) cocoa powder, sifted
20 grams (1.5 tablespoons) confectioners' sugar, sifted
210 grams (1 and ½ cup)s walnuts, roasted and chopped
210 grams (1 and ½ cups) peanuts, roasted and chopped
180 grams (¾ cup) turkish delight

Washing

1 egg yolk

Instructions

Prepare the Sponge: In a small bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), whisk together 1/4 cup of warmed milk, 1/4 cup of flour, and the yeast until a thick batter forms. Cover lightly and allow it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes. This usually takes me about 30 minutes, but keep an eye on it—the timing can vary depending on how warm your kitchen is.
Prepare the dough: Add the whole milk, egg yolk, salt, lemon and orange zests, sugar, and flour. Using your dough hook attachment, beat on low speed for about 4 minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems a bit too wet, just beat in more flour—one tablespoon at a time—until it clings to the hook. The dough should be a little shaggy, lumpy, and tacky at the end of this step.
Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat on medium speed for an additional 6 minutes. If it starts to get too sticky and clings to the bottom of the bowl, just add one more teaspoon of flour at a time until it's soft and only slightly tacky. Once you're done, the dough should feel soft, smooth, and elastic. You can test it by poking it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, it’s ready for the next step! For extra peace of mind, try the “windowpane test”: tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it out. If you can stretch it thin enough for light to pass through without it tearing, you’ve nailed it! If not, just keep kneading for a little longer until it passes the test and is ready for the fat.
Incorporate the butter: With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Wait until the dough fully absorbs each addition before adding the next. Use a spatula to scrape the sides to ensure the dough picks up all the butter. If the dough sticks to the bottom of the bowl, don't worry—this is normal. This process takes about 2–3 minutes. Once you've added all the butter, mix on low speed for another 3–4 minutes. By the end, the dough should slap the sides of the bowl and look soft, shiny, and elastic. To finish the dough, toss in the raisins and mix for 2 minutes until the dough evenly incorporates them throughout.
Refrigerate the dough: Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides evenly. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24–48 hours.
Prepare the walnut filling: Beat the egg whites on low speed with a hand mixer until they become frothy and bubbly. Gradually increase to high speed and beat until the mixture is glossy and the peaks stand straight up without drooping. Using a spatula, fold in the vanilla extract, salt, cocoa powder, and confectioners' sugar until fully combined. Add the walnuts and peanuts, then mix again. The filling should be chunky but easy to spread.
Grease a 10×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter.
Shape the bread: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, each weighing about 15–16 ounces (450–460 grams); a bench scraper is helpful for cutting the dough. Working with one piece at a time, roll out the dough into a 9x13 inch (22x33 cm) rectangle using a floured rolling pin. Spread half of the walnut filling gently over the surface and scatter half of the Turkish delight on top. Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a 13-inch log. Pinch the seam and the ends firmly to seal the filling inside. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Place one log over the other to form an "X" at the center, carefully wind them around each other toward both ends to create a thick, 9-inch braided rope, and pinch the ends together. Place the loaf into the prepared pan. (See the visuals of this step above.)
Rise: Loosely cover the shaped Cozonac with plastic wrap and let it rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-1.5 hours. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has risen roughly 1/2 inch above the rim of the loaf pan.
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Using a pastry brush, gently coat the top of the Cozonac with egg yolk.
Bake the Bread: Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown. To prevent the top from getting too dark, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper after the first 20–25 minutes. To check for doneness, give the top a gentle tap; if it sounds hollow, it's done. For the most accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 90–93°F (195–200°C).
Take the Cozonac out of the oven and let it rest in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully turn the loaf out of the pan and transfer it directly to the wire rack; let it continue cooling for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Cover leftover Cozonac tightly and store at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: See step 5. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.

Freezing Instructions: To freeze the dough, complete the process through Step 4, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; when ready to use, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before continuing with Step 6. For baked Cozonac, allow the loaf to cool completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. You can freeze the baked bread for up to 3 months; when needed, thaw it overnight—either in the refrigerator or at room temperature—before unwrapping and warming it to your liking.

Flour: Both bread flour and all-purpose flour work well, but bread flour is best for a taller loaf and a stronger structure.

Yeast: You can use any yeast you have on hand. While I use instant yeast, active dry yeast is a simple 1:1 swap (though it may rise a bit slower). If using fresh yeast, you will need 0.70 oz (20g ). No other recipe adjustments are necessary.

Double Batch: For mixers with a bowl capacity under 5 quarts, stick to one loaf. For bowls 5 quarts or larger, you can double the ingredients to make two loaves at once.

Can I bake the shaped Cozonac on a half-sheet pan? Absolutely! Fill and shape the dough as written, then place it on a greased half-sheet pan, and let it rise for 1–1.5 hours before baking.