Chocolate NO BAKE Cookies “Perozhina Kartoshka” …ŠŠ°ŃŃŠ¾ŃŠŗŠ°
These delicious little chocolate no bake cookies are what my childhood dessert dreams were made of. They are sweet and melt in your mouth like all good chocolate should. The best part they take less then 10 minutes to make and fill everyone’s heart’s with happiness. Pure joy in a cookie!
This ladies and gentlemen is true nostalgia from my childhood. Chocolate nostalgia. Back when I was a little girl New Year’s Eve was not complete without babushka’s vafilney tort and these chocolate confections. My mom was the master of these little chocolate pastries, named simply “Shikoladnaye Kartoshka” translation: Chocolate Potatoes.
It’s not difficult to see why they are named chocolate potatoes…they look like tiny little hand held potatoes. And the nuts add the special touch of tiny sprouts growing out. Only Slavs would make their desserts look like the country’s time honored favorite food. 
My mom made these every New Year’s and often times in the summer as well. There is no need to bake them so they are every woman’s and impatient child’s dream.
As she would mix up the batter I would frequently pull up a chair next to her and watch her knowing hands make the recipe she has made countless of times before. While she added the crushed up nuts, cookies and cocoa powder, I licked the remains of the sweetened condensed milk from the can. Yet another national treasure of the motherland.
Ever since my mom passed, I have looked all over for her recipes. They were neatly written down in her distinct handwriting on graph paper back from home. I was disheartened when I realized they were gone, never to be found.
Until one sweet day, my dad was cleaning out the house I grew up in and he found her recipes, stuck in between drawers in our kitchen.
I took those recipes from him and studied them all. Until I finally found her one and only “shikoladnaya kartoshka.”
And it has laid there until very recently. I was terrified of making it. Worried that I would not do it justice, worried that my inexperienced hands would not make the kartoshkas that I remembered. And that nostalgia would forever be ruined.
But then I looked at my little munchkin and realized that to her these pastries would taste as they had to me. And that one day she would remember standing on a chair next to me as I did with my mom. And isn’t that what nostalgia is really about?
So I found the courage and made them this year. And munchkin pulled the chair up next to me and watched and stole tastes as I once had.
A New Year’s tradition has been born in our family and hopefully I can pass it on to you.
Happy New Year’s Everyone!
We start with Nilla Wafers in a food processor or a Vitamix. I did it in my trusty Vitamix. Just pulse until they resemble small crumbs. If you don’t have either, do it the way my mom did: place into a plastic baggie and pound it with a rolling pin or frying pan. Great for the nerves too š
Do the same with your walnuts or pecans. Traditionally it’s walnuts, but I ran out and had to use pecans and it was still fantastic.
Add in your powdered sugar and cocoa.
In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, whip a stick of room temperature butter until light and fluffy.
Then add in the national Russian treasure…condensed, sweetened, milk. Heaven in a can.
Meet quality control.
Whip until light and fluffy and combined, about 2 minutes.
Add into the cookie and cocoa mixture and fold. You can also add in rum or cognac or even coffee liqour. My mom used to do this often. I find they resemble rum balls at that point.
Once everything is combined, the fun part begins.
The munchkin likes to think so. Sampling the product. Just like mama.
Set-up 3 bowls. In each some cocoa powder, some crushed pecans or walnuts and some cocoa powder. You can use all or some. Traditionally they were rolled in the cocoa and then some nuts were placed on top as if they were sprouts.
Roll the dough in your hands into little log shapes. You want them about 3 inches long.
Place into mini muffin cups or displayed on a platter. You will want to refrigerate these for at least one hour and up to 24 hours to prior to serving.
NO BAKE āKartoshka Perozhinaā Chocolate Pastryā¦ŠŠ°ŃŃŠ¾ŃŠŗŠ°
Description
These delicious little chocolate no bake cookies are what my childhood dessert dreams were made of. The best part they take less then 10 minutes to make and fill everyone’s heart’s with happiness. Pure joy in a cookie!
Ingredients
- 8 oz Nilla Wafers
- 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts (plus more for rolling)
- 1/2 a cup cocoa powder (plus more for rolling)
- 1/4 cup of powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 1 stick room temperature butter
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- We start with Nilla Wafers in a food processor or a Vitamix. I did it in my trusty Vitamix. Just pulse until they resemble small crumbs. If you don’t have either, do it the way my mom did: place into a plastic baggie and pound it with a rolling pin or frying pan. Great for the nerves too š
- Do the same with your walnuts or pecans. Traditionally it’s walnuts, but I ran out and had to use pecans and it was still fantastic
- Add in your powdered sugar and cocoa.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, whip a stick of room temperature butter until light and fluffy.
- Then add in the national Russian treasure…condensed, sweetened, milk. Heaven in a can.
- Whip until light and fluffy and combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add into the cookie and cocoa mixture and fold.
- Set-up 3 bowls. In each some cocoa powder, some crushed pecans or walnuts and some cocoa powder. You can use all or some. Traditionally they were rolled in the cocoa and then some nuts were placed on top as if they were sprouts.
- Roll the dough in your hands into little log shapes. You want them about 3 inches long.
- Place into mini muffin cups or displayed on a platter. You will want to refrigerate these for at least one hour and up to 24 hours to prior to serving.
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Russian
Fascinating. Can’t wait to try this. I LOVE that it’s authentic. And it’s insane how easy it is! I also love that it’s a family recipe š
Thank you darling! It’s one of my faves as well. I tear up when I make it for the munchkin š Recipes passed down from generation to generation, hand to hand…is the best way.
I just love the family history behind this recipe. It’s so cool that you found the recipe and are now sharing the tradition with your little one… Who is just THE CUTEST quality control I ever did see. But one thing I’m a little confused about… I always thought condensed milk was the national treasure of Vietnam. I had no idea it was also Russia’s?…
Ann thank you so much for your comments š And YES it SOOO is the national treasure of Russia! Because it’s AWESOME!!! Have a happy New Year honey!
Oh yes! This is my kind of dessert. Happy New Year to you!
I loved reading this post, Mila. It’s so precious that you used your mom’s recipe. I also love that they are called chocolate potatoes! š
Awww thank you Helen! And Happy New Year to you darling!
Thanks so much for this recipe. While Iām not Russian I enjoy learning new recipes. I had attempted making these in the past but mine ended up being rather severe and bready. The ones I had had from Europe bakeries were creamy and smooth inside. Any suggestions or insights??
I would say use more condensed cream. You need that moisture in there to keep it creamy.
Thanks for the advice. They are turning out better. Everyone loves them.
Oh I am so glad!
This is SUCH a lovely story – I’m so glad you found your mum’s recipes in the end š And these cookies sound absolutely delicious!
Do you store them in the refrigerator or keep them on the counter? I want to make alot of these and have them last for a few days.
★★★★★
I always keep them in the fridge if I am making these ahead of time š
I googled Kartoshka and this blog entry came up. Always nice to learn something new, but to my biggest surprise, whilst this desert is named and looks like a Kartoshka, it doesn’t have any actual Kartoshka in it.
Still looks really good and like something my children might enjoy. So thank you for sharing.
Hi Orli! Thank you!!! It’s such an incredible dessert! Holds one of the most special places in my heart š I hope you give it a try!
Hi,
Would u pls specify the weight of nilla in grams and also the volume of condense milk can.
Many thanks,
Katerina
Hi Katerina! I am not sure about the weight of the grams as I did not weigh them. But the condensed milk is 14oz.
How many does this make?
This will make about 16 cookies.
Is it possible to make this recipe with no nuts (due to allergies). Will it still turn out?
Sure i have done that in my family since my daughter has a nut allergy
Hi,
I’d like to make this lovely recipe for my son’s school. How long will they stay fresh in the fridge please? Also do you know a British equivalent to Nilla cookies? Are they like shortbread?
Many thanks
I would say you can use tea biscuits. And feel free to make it 2-3 days ahead of time š