Description
Mexican wedding cookies, also known as Polvorones, snowball cookies and Russian tea cookies, are a delightful way to celebrate special occasions! Beautifully sprinkled with powdered sugar, these butter-rich Mexican wedding cakes literally melt in your mouth.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks salted butter (1 cup), softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat ingredients for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add cinnamon and cornstarch to the bowl. Mix briefly. Gradually add in flour, mixing well after each addition. Add lemon zest and finely-chopped pecans. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Using a small cookie scoop, shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Transfer Mexican wedding cookies to a prepared cookie sheet. Leave 1-1/2 inches between the snowball cookies.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden. Do not over-bake! The tops should remain white. Remove from oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Roll warm snowball cookies in a bowl filled with powdered sugar. Place cookies on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
- Roll in powdered sugar a second time. Transfer Russian tea cookies to a small-medium serving bowl. Lightly sift powdered sugar over the top of the cookies in the serving dish. They’re now ready to enjoy!
Notes
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
Toasting the pecans will bump up the texture and flavor, resulting in a richer nuttier cookie. A food processor is very helpful for grinding the pecans.
Use a small cookie scoop to evenly portion out the cookie dough and create nice round balls.
Bake only ONE tray of cookies in the oven at a time. This makes a big difference in the outcome of this recipe.
Mexican wedding cookies can be made 1-2 days in advance. Another option: unbaked cookie dough can be refrigerated for 2-3 days, softened slightly and then baked.
To protect their flavor and texture, store snowball cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
For a fabulous Mexican twist, use 1 teaspoon tequila instead of the lemon juice!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican, American, Russian