These melt-in-your-mouth Russian Tea Cookies disappear quickly off any cookie tray! Stash a few in a secret hiding place before they get devoured.
What are Russian Tea Cakes?
Often called Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, or Snowball Cookies, our family has been making and enjoying these delicious Russian Tea Cakes for decades. However you call them, these cookies transform butter, chopped pecans, vanilla, flour, and powdered sugar into pure magic. They have a light, nutty flavor and a slight crunch, all covered in delicious powdered sugar. They are truly irresistible!
Essential Ingredients
We’ve developed this Gluten-Free version which is indistinguishable from its wheat counterpart. For the recipe, you will need:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup powdered confectioners sugar, for the cookie dough and coating the cookies
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for added flavor
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, for added texture and flavor
- 1 cup Gluten Free Flour blend (I like this one or this one for this recipe)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparing the Ingredients
- Finely chop the pecans in a small food processor, nut grinder.
- Toast 1/2 cup chopped pecans on a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently, until they are lightly golden and fragrant. This adds more depth of flavor to the cookies than using raw nuts. Will the cookies still taste amazing if you use raw nuts? Yes, but they’re even better if the nuts are toasted!
- Soften one stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter to room temperature for easy and even mixing. I like to cut the butter into cubes and allow it to rest on the kitchen counter to speed up the softening process. Do not melt the butter!
How to Make Russian Tea Cookie Dough
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. A silicone baking mat also works well.
- Place 1/3 cup powdered sugar and the softened butter in the large bowl of electric mixer. Use the electric mixer to beat the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour, salt, and nuts and mix until the cookie dough comes together in clumps.
- If the dough is extremely soft and difficult to roll, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm it up. If the dough is very soft, the cookies will flatten out when baking rather than hold their round shape.
- Use a teaspoon to shape the dough into 1″ balls. Place the cookie dough balls on the parchment lined baking sheet about 1″-2″ apart. They will not spread out much when baking, so you can place them fairly close together. If you don’t have parchment paper, use an ungreased cookie sheet.
- I recommend placing the baking sheet of cookie dough in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to baking to ensure the cookies hold their nice round shape.
Baking and Cooling Russian Tea Cakes
- Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are lightly golden. They will likely not turn golden on top before they are done.
- Fill a medium bowl with 1 cup of powdered sugar for coating the cookies. Place a piece of waxed paper beneath a wire cooling rack to catch extra powdered sugar.
- Right after removing from the oven, remove a few of the cookies from the baking sheet and gently roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Gently place the coated cookies on the wire rack to cool completely. You can coat about 6-8 cookies at a time. The cookies are more delicate when warm.
- Once cooled, roll the cookies in powdered sugar once again for an extra layer of sweetness and place in an airtight container.
Storage and Freezing Russian Tea Cakes
You can store the Russian Tea Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze the cookies for up to 2 months. To serve frozen cookies, allow them to thaw at room temperature and roll them in fresh powdered sugar before serving.
FAQs
- Why did my Russian Tea Cakes go flat? If your cookies turned out flat, the dough was probably too warm. I recommend placing the uncooked dough balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
- Are Russian Tea Cakes the same as Mexican Wedding Cookies? Yes, they are also known as Snowball cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, and Pop-Ems in our family because of their bit sized deliciousness and how easy they are to pop in your mouth as you pass by the cookie tray:)
- Do I need to toast the pecans? Yes, in an ideal world, you should toast the pecans for the cookie dough. Toasting the nuts enhances the flavor and texture of the cookies. However, in real life, sometimes we cut corners and this is one that you can cut if pressed for time. The cookies will still be AMAZING. Promise.
- Can I use salted butter? Yes, you can use salted butter, but omit the salt from the dry ingredients. I’ve made the cookies both ways and they will still be delicious.
- What if I don’t have a nut grinder or food processor? No worries. Place the nuts in a ziplock bag and wrap in a towel. Place the towel on a cutting board and whack it with a heavy object like an ice cream scoop, meat tenderizer, heavy metal spoon until the nuts are finely crushed.
Gift Ideas
These delicious, festive cookies make a perfect gift! Package the cookies in decorative tins or mason jars for a beautiful and delicious way to spread holiday cheer to friends, teachers, and neighbors.
These Russian Tea Cakes are a classic holiday treat because they are so delicious and they look beautiful on any Christmas cookie platter! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make these luscious, buttery cookies at home. Perfect for snacking, gift-giving, or serving at holiday parties, Russian Tea Cakes are a must-have recipe for any cookie lover.
Looking for more Holiday Recipes or Cookie Ideas?
Check out these recipes and Holiday Menu Guide:
