Whether you call them Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding cookies or something else, these snowy powdered sugar cookies are perfect for the holiday season.
Looking for more cookie recipes or a great holiday gift? Check out Zoë Bakes Cookies!
What Are Russian Tea Cakes?
It is a slight mystery why these are called Russian tea cakes and not cookies, but no matter the name, they are delicious. How can you go wrong with toasted pecans, brown butter and sugar?
The texture is like a shortbread cookie that is taken to new heights by the richness of the nuts. They are typically served at the holidays, maybe because they look like little snow balls, and at special occasions, like weddings, as the name suggests.
This holiday my aunt Kristin, who is my pastry muse, requested them. It is ridiculous that my house isn’t stocked with them all year round. The recipe is so simple and the results so incredible. Thanks to Kristin my cookie jar is now full. They make a great gift because they pack up well and actually improve with a bit of time, which can’t be said for many cookies.
More Holiday Dessert Ideas
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cakes (Russian Tea Cookies)
Watch me make these cookies step by step, and you’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!
Preheat oven to 350°F, with the racks at the top and lower third of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a food processor pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar until they are a fine meal.
In a large bowl combine the nut mixture, flour and salt with a whisk.
In a stand mixer, with the paddle
Using a small ice cream scoop
Bake for about 12 minutes (rotate the trays and switch from top to bottom, half way through the baking), until the bottoms are golden and the tops set, but pale. The tops will crack slightly.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before you roll them in the confectioners’ sugar. If you roll them too soon the sugar will melt and get clumpy.
Dip the cookies a few at a time in the sugar. Dip them again right before you pack or serve them.
Ingredients
- 2 cup (7 1/2 oz) pecans lightly toasted and cooled
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) confectioners' sugar for processing nuts
- 4 cups (18 oz) bleached all-purpose flour measured with spoon and sweep
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 sticks (1 lb) unsalted butter, browned strained and cooled to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla homemade vanilla recipe
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups (8 oz) confectioners’ sugar for dipping the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, with the racks at the top and lower third of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a food processor pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar until they are a fine meal.
- In a large bowl combine the nut mixture, flour and salt with a whisk.
- In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the browned butter and 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out the dough and roll them in your palms to create round balls. Position them on the lined cookie sheet so they have about 1 1/2 inches between them.
- Bake for about 12 minutes (rotate the trays and switch from top to bottom, half way through the baking), until the bottoms are golden and the tops set, but pale. The tops will crack slightly.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before you roll them in the confectioners' sugar. If you roll them too soon the sugar will melt and get clumpy.
- Dip the cookies a few at a time in the sugar. Dip them again right before you pack or serve them.
I have been making this recipe for many years. To me it is the best version of this type cookie. I grew up calling them Russian Tea Cakes. They were delicious but not made with nuts. Roasting the nuts and browning the butter, makes this cookie exceptional. I am prepping a batch for my Thanksgiving dessert table.
I’ve read and reread the recipes but can’t find where you add the vanilla and almond flavorings. So I just added them with the butter mixture. It took a long while to brown all that butter but what a huge flavor difference it made. My cookies were delicious. This will be my go to recipe on the days I have a little extra time for baking. Thanks for the terrific recipe.
I make them all year round they are my favorite cookie.
The almond and vanilla get mixed with the butter and powdered sugar. It’s on step #4. These are the best cookies ever.
how many does this make
How many cookies does the recipe yield?
in our neck of the woods we call these babies pecan balls. yes, if dropped into the powdered sugar while warm the sugar does get sticky but at the same time it clings very well to the warm pastry. when cool the balls are dropped into the powdered sugar a second time which adds more powdered sugar depth, a cloud-like sensation we enjoy very much
how long do these keep?
Hi Fay,
They seem to last about a week. You can certainly freeze the cookies before adding the powdered sugar.
Thanks, Zoë
Now that the holidays are behind us the memories of the tea cakes still linger.
I love these things!
I know this is a silly question but at what point do you add the vanilla
and almond extract?
I love these. We always have these here in California– not just at Christmas. But they do make a perfect accompaniment to cocoa!
This look so good! I’ve never made these – I tend to make too many treats with chocolate, ha. I’ll have to add them to ever-growing holiday baking list.
I also think it is sweet that your Dad comments on your blog…:)
These cookies bring back so many memories. I need to make them with my kids this weekend! Also, I just wanted to let you know I am sharing your carrot cake recipe on my blog right now. http://www.brittanyspantry.blogspot.com/ The only bummer is that is already gone and the pictures make me want to make it again. So perfect for the holidays! I live in Illinois now, but I grew up in Forest Lake, north of the twin cities. Stay warm up there!!
Hi Zoe! Just wanted to let you know I put up a post where I used the Emile Henry baking dish I won from your giveaway. It’s an absolutely beautiful plate and I mentioned it’s wonderfulness and your blog in my post. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out 🙂 Thanks SO very much for the dish!
http://lifessimplemeasures.blogspot.com/2011/12/improv-cooking-challenge-cranberry.html
You and I, Zoe, are on the level. I was planning on making these today to mail to loved ones! 🙂
These are my absolute favorite cookies! I really should make them sometime soon.
Zoe,
Why bleached flour? Would unbleached work just as well? The cookies look divine.
Hi Tucsonbabe,
Bleached flour has slightly less protein than unbleached, so the cookies are a little more tender when you use the bleached. If you use unbleached you may want to decrease the flour by a few tablespoons.
Thanks, Zoë
I made this recipe from your new cookie cookbook. The recipe calls for 240g of confectioners’ sugar divided. The directions use 60g, 90g, and 150g. I used 300g as per directions but my dough was dry and took some effort to form into balls. Which amount is correct? The toasted nuts and browned butter really amp up the flavor! They taste great, just need clarification on confectioners’ sugar quantity.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for letting me know. The amounts of confectioners’ sugar used for the cookie dough is correct, so the dough should come out fine. The remaining confectioners’ sugar used for dipping the baked cookies is where the amount got funky, but it will still be enough, just not by much. I will let the publisher know for any future printings.
After getting your note I made a batch of these cookies and didn’t find it too dry, so I’m wondering if there was another issue. What kind of flour were you using? Maybe it is a higher protein content than what I use? Any details you can share will help me figure out why they may have been dry.
Thanks! Zoë
Oh Zoe! the memories of Christmas and these cookies. love Dad
Hi Dad,
I’ll bring you some tomorrow! xo z
Yum! I grew up in Southern CA and we always called these Mexican Wedding cakes…so yummy! They’re one of my all time favorites. I’ve never added almond extract to them and am going to try it. Thank you for sharing!
I make these. I was originally taught to roll them in powdered sugar while still warm?
Hi Barbara,
Rolling them when they are warm will melt the sugar and create an uneven coat of the sugar. If you wait until the cookies are cooled they will be more even.
Thanks, Zoë
These look lovely and I am sure they are a “secret recipe” that one of my daughters MIL makes so I am happy to have it.
Totally making these tomorrow!
Thank you.
These are a perfect gift! And look completely yummy, too!