As a wedding gift, my mom gave me a book filled with recipes she made for our family during my childhood. This precious gift brings back many sweet memories. 

During the holiday season, I refer to this book often for its cookie and dessert recipes. As I flip through the pages, I find a favorite—Christmas Coffee Cake.

I can tell this is a recipe my mom made often because it contains only a list of ingredients and no directions. Recently, I made up this nut-filled coffee cake for a Christmas party and gifts. My family indulged in a few pieces, slapping on some butter and enjoying it with a cup of coffee. What a treat! 

I hope you find this recipe as delicious as we do. And I wish you a very Merry Christmas! 

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Christmas Coffee Cake

A nut-filled coffee cake my mom made almost every Christmas during my childhood

Course Dessert

Servings 2 large cakes

Ingredients

Coffee Cake

• 2 packets yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup melted palm shortening
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Nut Filling

• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 3 cups ground walnuts
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Icing

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP milk

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add yeast and ¼ cup warm water and allow the yeast to dissolve. Stir in sugar. Add remaining ½ cup water, scalded milk, eggs, and melted shortening. Stir until well combined. Mix in salt and 5 cups of flour. If dough is too wet, add remaining flour ¼ cup at a time. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and pliable, about 5 minutes. Placed in a large lightly greased bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen. Allow dough to rise for at about two hours.
• While the dough is rising, combine ingredients for the nut filling in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• When dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350^o F.
• Remove the dough from bowl and cut into two to eight portions, depending on how large you want your coffee cakes to be. (For larger groups, I tend to divide the dough into two. As gifts for friends and family, I use smaller portions, usually six or eight.) Shape each portion into a ball and roll out on a floured surface until about ⅛- to ¼-inch in thickness. Spread a thin layer of nut filling on the dough. Start on one end of the dough and roll up into a log and form into a "C" shape. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet with the seam facing down (if the seam is up, the nut filling will likely spill out during baking). Repeat for remaining portions. (I'm usually able to get all of the prepared coffee cakes onto two large cookie sheets.)
• Place cookie sheets with coffee cakes in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the coffee cakes are lightly brown. Remove from oven.
• Prepare the icing by combining the confectioner's sugar and milk in a medium size bowl. Drizzle on warm coffee cakes.
• Slice the coffee cake log while still warm and serve with butter. It is also good served at room temperature. Makes