Walnut Nut Rolls (Nut Roll)

My mom got the recipe for these from my great aunt Grethel. She always makes them for Christmas and New Year's breakfast but they are good all year round.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Yields: 3-4 12 inch rolls

Ingredients

• Dough

• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2 (1/4ounce) packets  yeast (approximately 4 1/2 to 5 tsp.)
• 7⁄8 cup  lukewarm milk
• 4  cups flour
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs, separated

• Filling

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  ground  nutmeats (we use walnuts, approximately 6 cups)
• 1  cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

• Icing

• 1⁄3 cup butter (optional)
• 3 1⁄2-4  cups confectioners' sugar (optional)
• 1  egg yolk (optional)
• 3  tablespoons milk (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)

Directions

1. Dough: Dissolve yeast in milk with sugar. Add butter, salt, and egg yolks.
2. Stirring to mix. Add 2 cups flour and mix well, add remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 3-4 parts, cover and let rise while preparing filling.
4. Filling: Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Roll out each portion of dough to an 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle shape. Spread an equal amount of filling on each portion on dough. Roll up jelly roll fashion and let raise 15-20 minutes.
6. Brush with egg whites before baking. (I accidentally forgot to do this one year and have decided we like it better without the egg wash.) Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
7. Once cool, top with icing, if desired.
8. Icing: Cream butter and egg yolk. Then add confectioner's sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed. Add vanilla and milk 1 Tbls. at a time and beat on high until fluffy.