The effects of moisture content, loading speed and loading direction on the compression characteristics of walnut were studied in this paper. Xinfeng walnut was compressed under different conditions, and a finite element model was established for walnut extrusion cracking. The largest cracking force was found when the walnut shell was compressed in the direction of thickness, and the largest cracking diffusion area also appeared in this direction, which resulted in removing the whole kernel more easily. Finally, through two kinds of walnut cracking tests of compressing and impact, it was shown that multiple and multi-range impact loading could make the walnut shell crack more even, with higher rate of kernel.