Everyone needs a killer recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies! Do you call them Russian Tea Cakes? Or Snowball Cookies? Polvorones? Italian Wedding Cookies?? How does one cookie have so many names?? These super easy (6 ingredient!) shortbread cookies are studded with chopped nuts and rolled in powdered sugar. They are irresistible, it’s no wonder every country’s got their own version! Originally published December 17, 2018.
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I took 7-year-old Charlotte to see the Nutcracker this weekend! She’s been begging to go. We don’t take the kids to performances that often, and I remembered why. She could NOT stop talking.
Literally every 30 seconds she would lean over and not-whisper in my ear, “I THINK THAT’S FAKE SNOW.” And I would say, yes, you’re probably right, you have to whisper Charlotte!” Then 30 seconds later, “I THINK THAT ONE’S CLARA!” “Yes, Charlotte, please whisper!!” and “THEY ARE PROBABLY CHANGING THE SET BEHIND THAT BACK CURTAIN!” Charlotte!!! Whisper!!”
Charlotte’s inability to whisper aside, it was so fun. It was also a good reminder that I am most definitely NOT a ballerina. There was an older lady sitting next to us who wanted to get up during intermission, so I stood up, but stepped directly on the program at my feet. It slipped out from underneath me, banana peel style, and I flopped back into my chair, arms flailing. The sugar plum fairy is up there personifying grace itself, and I can’t even stand up over here without thrashing around like an idiot.
Snowball Cookies? Italian Wedding Cookies? Polvorones??
Does your family make these cookies? I feel like they are a tradition for SO many families, and every country seems to claim them. I’ve heard these called Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Swedish Heirloom Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Polvorones, and Eric’s family has one more, they always call them Sweethearts.
The story is that Great Grandpa Carl always called his wife Prudy “sweetheart” when she made these, because they were his absolute favorite of all the the dozens of cookies she made every Christmas. So they just started calling them Sweetheart cookies. How cute is that?
Mexican Wedding Cookie Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
Tea Cake Dough
This is seriously the best cookie recipe for when you are NOT going to the store. You probably have all this stuff in your pantry already!
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
- Pecans
Wedding Cookie Coating
Powdered sugar (that’s it, how easy is that?)
How to make Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes
Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowball cookies or Sweethearts, whatever you want to call them, they are all the same basic recipe: a really buttery not-very-sweet shortbread dough, with chopped nuts mixed in. They bake up into a delightful little ball of a cookie that doesn’t spread much at all. (I can see why the name Snowball cookies got started!)
After they come out of the oven, you roll them in powdered sugar while warm. They make a giant mess when you eat them and will get all over your face and fingers and this is not an apology it’s just part of the joy of Mexican Wedding Cookies. The only down side is that you can’t sneak these cookies. Everyone knows you have eaten them because you end up with powdered sugar on your face no matter what you do.
The trick to getting these Russian Tea Cakes/Snowball cookies to look ultra white and absolutely covered in powdered sugar is to roll them twice. When they are hot just out of the oven, roll them in the powdered sugar and then immediately remove them to a cooling rack. (If you leave them to cool in the bowl of powdered sugar, it will start melting the sugar and you will end up with a gloopy mess. No, that didn’t happen to me at all, why do you ask??)
One roll in powdered sugar will make the cookies white but not ultra powdery, like we want. So after the rolled cookies have cooled, toss them back in the powdered sugar again. You can see here the difference between rolling once and rolling twice (the top photo below is rolled only once.)
Make it your goal to choke everyone who inhales while taking a bite of these cookies; the more powdered sugar the better. If you send someone into a coughing fit, you know you’ve done it right. Okay I’m totally kidding, seriously don’t breathe in while you take a bite of these, you will be chugging milk.
Here’s a brief overview of how to make this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for complete instructions!
Mix:
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add flour and salt. Beat until the flour is not quite incorporated. Stir in chopped pecans until incorporated. Don’t over mix the dough. It should come together in a ball.
- Cover the dough and chill for about an hour or two, until the dough is a bit more firm.
Bake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Or you can lightly grease the baking sheet)
- Shape the dough into uniform 1 inch balls.
- Place the dough balls on the baking sheets about an inch apart.
- Bake at 350 for about 9-11 minutes. The cookies should be firm on the edges.
- Let the cookies set up on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
Roll:
- Add powdered sugar to a shallow bowl. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cooling rack.
- Once the rolled cookies have cooled for another 30-60 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar again.
Russian Tea Cookie Tips
These cookies are super simple. Here’s how I like to make sure they’re simply perfect.
- For added flavor, take a few minutes to toast your nuts. They’re good either way but toasting the nuts makes them even better.
- If the dough is still crumbly and not coming together, add more milk one teaspoon at a time. It only takes a little bit to get the right consistency!
- Don’t over bake these cookies or they will be dry. Nobody likes dry cookies!
- Want extra snowy, beautifully white cookies? Once the rolled cookies have cooled for 30-60 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar AGAIN. Yes please.
- Make sure you have plenty of milk on hand! The powdered sugar can make you cough if you inhale these too quickly (guilty as charged!) so be prepared.
Mexican Wedding Cookies Storage
You can store these on the counter for up to a week. Yes, a week! Can you even imagine having any left at that point?? Not at my house. You can also keep these in the fridge for up to two weeks. Again. How would they last that long??
If you’d like to make these ahead of time for a party or Christmas cookie plates, you can bake them, roll them, and freeze them for up to three months. If you’d rather freeze unbaked dough balls, you can do that too. Just plan on having powdered sugar on hand for when you’re baking them up.
Russian Tea Cake & Mexican Wedding Cookies FAQs
Yes, Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, Polvorones, snowballs–they’re all basically the same thing. We’re talking about a buttery, rich cookie filled with chopped nuts and rolled in powdered sugar.
Russian tea cakes have powdered sugar in the cookie dough, and they’re also rolled in copious amounts of the stuff. It’s why they’re so delectably sweet (and so hard to sneak).
Nope. Russian tea cakes are a buttery shortbread cookie with chopped nuts. Pfeffernusse are spice cookies with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and anise. Russian tea cakes are always rolled in powdered sugar, while Pfeffernusse can be either dusted with powdered sugar or iced.
Mexican wedding cookies will be dry if you over bake them or add too much flour. They should only be baked until the edges are firm. When you’re measuring flour, use the “fluff and scoop” method. Fluff up the flour with a spoon, then use the spoon to gently scoop flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Level it off (again, gently!). Never pack your flour!
Snowball cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie with chopped nuts, rolled in powdered sugar. They’re also known by other names like Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, and polvorones, but “snowball cookies” is a fitting name–they’re round, white, and powdery, just like a snowball (but I promise they taste much better).
Mexican wedding cookies can flatten for two reasons: if they are overmixed, or if they are baked without chilling. They should be mixed just until the dough comes together in a ball. I recommend chilling the dough for at least one hour so that the butter gets very cold and the cookies don’t spread in the oven.
Mexican wedding cookies will stay fresh on the counter for up to a week. After that, I recommend freezing them in flat rectangular tupperware containers for up to three months. These are great cookies for baking ahead of the holidays!
These cookies are SO fun to make for cookies trays, they add some fun color and shape. (It’s nice to see white on a plate of brown cookies!) Merry Christmas baking, everyone!
More Christmas cookies you will love!
- Butter Pecan Cookies << these are some of my favorites. Not too sweet, they are buttery perfection
- My All-Time-Favorite Shortbread Cookies << this recipe is for the original, more classic shortbread, and does not disappoint!
- Grandma Prudy’s Classic Spritz Cookie Recipe << I can eat about a hundred of these
- Biscotti For People Who Thought They Hated Biscotti >> perfectly snappy and crispy, and the perfect thing to dunk in your hot chocolate or coffee
- Perfect Linzer Cookies >> cute shapes like sugar cookies, but with WAY more sophistication
- The SOFTEST Sugar Cookies of Your Life (That Hold Their Shape) << I will never make another recipe!
- Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies << talk about festive. These are so nostalgic!
- Thumbprint Almond Raspberry Cookies << another Christmas classic.
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies << sooo fudgy
- Vanilla Melt Away Cookies from Bless This Mess
- Lebkuchen Cookies from Shugary Sweets
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Mexican Wedding Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup pecans, *chopped
- powdered sugar, for rolling (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- For added flavor, take a few minutes to toast your nuts. Spread pecan halves (or whatever nut you would like to use) on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes until toasty and fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn! Cool completely before adding to the cookies. I stuck mine in the fridge.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat until the flour is not quite incorporated.
- Add 3/4 cup chopped pecans. You can chop with a knife or give them a whir in the food processor or blender. How fine you chop them is completely up to you. See photos for how I did it. If you measure a generous 3/4 cup of pecan halves, it chops up to about the same amount.
- Stir in the pecans until incorporated. Don’t over mix the dough. It should come together in a ball. If your mixer can’t handle it, do it by hand. If you are still having trouble, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together.
- Cover the dough and chill for about an hour or two, until the dough is a bit more firm.
- Preheat your oven to 350 and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Or you can lightly grease the baking sheet)
- Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. You can make them somewhere between 1 inch and 1 and 1/2 inches across. Make sure they are all uniform.
- Place the dough balls on the baking sheets. You can put them pretty close together, about an inch apart. These cookies hardly spread at all.
- Bake at 350 for about 9-11 minutes. The cookies should be firm on the edges. Don’t over bake or they will be dry.
- Let the cookies set up on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
- Add about 2 cups of powdered sugar to a shallow bowl. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cooling rack.
- Once the rolled cookies have cooled for another 30-60 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar again.
- Eat at least one of these warm!! It’s so good!
Notes
This recipe is from Eric’s great grandma Prudy. Her recipe actually calls for 2 cups of chopped nuts (you can use any kind of nut that you like!), but I prefer the cookies with fewer nuts. The amount you add is totally up to you, any amount up to 2 cups will work fine. The more nuts you add, the more likely it is that you will have to add a couple teaspoons of milk to make the dough come together.
My mom’s recipe used crisco. I plan on making them with butter. She also used almond extract. They were called Mexican wedding cookies, also renamed Liars cookies, can’t lie about eating one with powdered sugar all over. Love your recipes.
Liar’s Cookies!!! Oh my gosh!! I love this one. So funny. That’s a very appropriate title! Love the almond extract too. Thanks for chiming in Linda!
My family is from New Orleans-French/Italian heritage. We call them “Cocoon Cookies” as they are rolled in that shape. Recipe and powdered sugar are all the same basic ingredients. Love your recipes, positivity and great humor!