Mexican Wedding Cookies
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These Mexican Wedding Cookies are a classic holiday treat, and need your attention. These are delicate, melt in your mouth, almost like a shortbread, with diced walnuts and get covered with powdered sugar while still warm to make them irresistible!
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Went through the archives and decided to dust off this Mexican Wedding Cookie recipe I had made for the site as one of my first posts years ago.
Mexican Wedding Cookies, also go by the names Russian Tea Cookies or Snowballs. Whatever you call these, they are melt in your mouth delicious!
This recipe comes to me from my mom’s collection, given to her by her mom. It originally was my maternal step grandfather’s mom’s recipe. Get it?
A family tried and true recipe coming from El Paso Texas from the late 1890s.
What I just LOVE about these cookies are how delicate and melt in your mouth they are.
I use cake flour instead of AP flour, which is lighter in protein, for a finer crumb cookie. The powdered sugar kind of seals the exterior and adds a wonderful sweetness, while the tender and crumbly cookie itself melts with each bite. You can also use any kind of nut you prefer, too.
How to make my Mexican Wedding Cookies
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In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until light in color and fluffy.
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Add cake flour, nuts, kosher salt and mix thoroughly. Chill this mixture for 20 minutes covered in the refrigerator.
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Roll into 1″ small balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.
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While still warm to the touch roll these each in the powdered sugar, add more as needed or sift on top. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
Sometimes the simplest things are the best.
These Mexican Wedding Cookies bring back great memories of my mom baking, and after, dusting them with the powdered sugar.
The warm round baked cookie dough filled with walnuts – right out of the oven was the best. After, cooled slightly, you rolled them in powdered sugar to coat. The sweet powdered sugar almost melted and was a delight to get over my fingers because, as a kitchen helper, I got to not only lick the spoon, but my sugary packed fingertips!
For other delicious treats, check out my Bacon Fat Gingersnap Cookies, Pumpkin Pie Bars, Maple Glazed Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Almond and Pistachio Brittle or these Pecan Pie Bars. Enjoy!
This recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking February 2013 and has been updated with new photos.
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Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup shortening (See Note 1)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp vanilla
- 4 cups cake flour (See Note 2)
- 2 cups walnuts chopped fine (See Note 3)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until light in color and fluffy.
- Add the flour and nuts and mix thoroughly. Chill this mixture for 20 minutes covered in the refrigerator.
- Roll into 1" small balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While still warm to the touch roll these each in the powdered sugar, add more as needed or sift on top. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely before storing in an air tight container.
Notes
- You may substitute for every 1 cup of shortening called for in the recipe, 1 cup butter or margarine plus 2 tablespoons. It will change the texture of the cookie, but will still work.
- I use cake flour instead of AP flour, which is lighter in protein, for a finer crumb cookie.
- A quick blitz in the blender, Vitamix or food processor works great, just leave it with a few chunks of the nut used.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is the first Mexican Wedding Cookie recipe I’ve seen that calls for shortening. Does shortening make them more moist? How is the texture different from just using butter. Dorothy
Hi Dorothy! I do have a note in the recipe if you would rather use butter or margarine. I like the texture the shortening gives! Thanks!
These are one of my favorites! Making them this weekend!
One of my favorite cookies Kevin! These aren’t reserved for the holidays at our house. I make them all year long. Yours look delish!
I like your thinking Mary Ann. Merry Christmas!
One of my all time favorite holiday cookies, Kevin! Can’t wait to try your family recipe!
I love these warm from the oven, the powdered sugar almost melts!