George Boyle
Mexican wedding cookies, also known as snowball cookies, Russian tea cakes, butterballs, or Danish wedding cookies, are a type of sweet, nutty, and buttery shortbread cookie. They are typically made with pecans, but other nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts can also be used. The cookies are coated in powdered sugar, giving them a snowball-like appearance. Mexican wedding cookies are a popular treat during the holidays and are believed to have originated from medieval Arab baking, eventually making their way to Mexico through European nuns or Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Pecan Sandies, Vanilla Horns, Angel Turds, Polvorones, Bizcochitos, Butterballs, Danish Wedding Cookies |
| Main Ingredients | Butter, Powdered Sugar, Flour, Salt, Vanilla, Nuts (Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, Hazelnuts) |
| Texture | Buttery, Melt-in-your-mouth, Soft, Tender, Crisp |
| Taste | Sweet, Nutty, Not-too-sweet |
| Preparation | Dough is mixed and rolled into balls, baked, and coated in powdered sugar |
| Baking Temperature | 350°F to 400°F |
| Baking Time | 10-14 minutes |
| Storage | Stored in an airtight container for up to a week |
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What You'll Learn
Mexican Wedding Cookies' other names
Mexican Wedding Cookies are also known as Snowball Cookies, owing to their snowball-like appearance. This appearance is achieved by rolling the cookies in powdered sugar after baking. The cookies are also known as Russian Tea Cakes, although this name may have fallen out of favour due to Cold War-era tensions with Russia.
Mexican Wedding Cookies are referred to by a variety of other names, including polvorones, bizcochitos, butterballs, Danish wedding cookies, and vanilla horns. In Italy, a variation of the cookie is served at celebratory feasts, with star anise added to the dough for a more pungent, aromatic flavour.
The cookies are also referred to as pecan sandies or sandies on the East Coast of the United States, as well as simply snowballs. Some people refer to them as wedding cakes, combining the two words in the cookie's more common name.
The cookies' global history may account for their numerous names. The recipe is believed to have originated in the Middle East and made its way to Europe and Mexico via trade routes in the 16th century.
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Snowball Cookies' ingredients
Snowball Cookies, also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, or Pecan Balls, are incredibly easy to make and are a perfect festive treat. The cookies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, and tender. They are usually made with pecans, but you can also use walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
The ingredients for the cookie dough are simple and most likely already in your pantry. The basic recipe consists of only six ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, salt, and nuts. The dough may be crumbly, but that is okay—just bring everything together into one soft, cohesive mixture.
For the butter, it is recommended to use unsalted butter when baking with nuts as the nuts themselves can be a tad salty. The recipe calls for one cup of butter. For the sugar, use powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar or icing sugar. The recipe calls for half a cup of sugar in the dough itself, making the cookies more buttery than sweet. The sweetness comes after baking when you roll the cookies in powdered sugar.
The recipe calls for two cups of all-purpose flour. For the vanilla, use two teaspoons of vanilla extract. The recipe also calls for a quarter teaspoon of salt and three-quarters of a cup of finely chopped pecans. You can chop the pecans into bigger chunks if you prefer.
Once the dough is mixed, chill it for at least two hours. Then, preheat the oven to 350–400 °F. Roll the dough into one-inch balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. These cookies will not rise or flatten, so they can be placed relatively close together. Bake for about 10–15 minutes. Do not allow the balls to brown to ensure the cookies remain buttery and soft.
Immediately roll the cookie balls in powdered sugar so they resemble snowballs. Place them on wire racks to cool.
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Recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies, also known as Snowball Cookies, are a traditional cookie recipe idea for the holidays or special occasions. They are soft, buttery pecan cookies with a hint of cinnamon, dusted with powdered sugar. Here is a recipe to make these delicious cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions:
Firstly, toast the pecans in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes or until fragrant. Cool completely and then pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Measure out 1 cup (115g) and set aside.
Next, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside. Whisk flour, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Now, cream the butter and powdered sugar for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the finely chopped pecans and mix on low until combined.
Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll into balls. Portion the cookie dough using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoons, 15g) and roll into balls (about 1" wide). Place on a baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F to 400°F. Bake the cookies for 10-16 minutes, or until they are just light golden-brown. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before rolling them in powdered sugar.
Your Mexican Wedding Cookies are now ready to be devoured!
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Recipe for Snowball Cookies
Snowball cookies, also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, or Pecan Balls, are incredibly easy to make. They are rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth festive treats rolled in powdered sugar to resemble snowballs.
Ingredients:
- Butter (preferably good quality, unsalted, and at room temperature)
- Powdered Sugar (also called icing sugar)
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Pecans (or walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, or any other nut of your choice)
- Salt
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and set them aside.
- In a bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light, fluffy, and well combined. You can also add a small amount of cinnamon for a hint of spice.
- Mix in the flour, finely chopped nuts, and salt until a soft, cohesive dough forms. The dough may be crumbly, but that is okay.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, placing them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before baking. This will help firm up the dough and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 10-13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through to ensure even cooking. Do not allow the cookies to brown, as this will affect their texture.
- Once baked, immediately roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar. This will give them their signature snowball-like appearance.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely, then roll them in powdered sugar again for a thick coating of 'snow'.
Your Snowball Cookies are now ready to serve and enjoy! They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you wish to freeze the cookies, it is recommended to freeze the cookie dough before baking and rolling in powdered sugar.
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History of the cookies
Mexican wedding cookies, also known as snowball cookies, Russian tea cakes, or butterballs, are small, hand-formed cookies coated in powdered sugar and containing ground nuts, usually pecans. They are known for their delicate, crumbly, and melt-in-your-mouth texture, with a buttery and nutty interior. While the origin of these cookies is somewhat unclear, there are several theories about their history.
One theory suggests that snowball cookies originated in the Middle East, where they were known as "ghraybeh" or "ghoriba" in Morocco and other parts of the Maghreb. These cookies are believed to have spread throughout Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean by Arab traders, eventually reaching Spain and then Mexico in the 16th century. This theory is supported by the similarity between snowball cookies and the Greek Christmas cookie "kourabiedes."
Another theory speculates that the cookies became associated with weddings in Mexico, where they gained popularity during the surge in Tex-Mex cuisine. The term "Mexican wedding cake" may have displaced the name "Russian tea cake" due to national antipathy toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Food scholar Darra Goldstein suggests that the term "Russian tea cake" arose in the 1920s when massive waves of white émigrés fled to the United States after the 1917 Revolution.
Regardless of their exact origin, Mexican wedding cookies or snowball cookies have become a beloved treat in Mexican culture and a staple during festive occasions, especially around Christmas. They are known for their simplicity, delightful combination of flavours, and their ability to bring people together during celebrations.
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Frequently asked questions
Mexican Wedding Cookies are sweet, crunchy, and buttery cookies that are perfect with coffee. They are also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes.
Snowball Cookies are a type of Mexican Wedding Cookie. They are called snowballs because they are rolled in powdered sugar, which makes them look like snowballs.
Yes, Mexican Wedding Cookies are the same as Snowball Cookies. They are also known as Russian Tea Cakes, Butterballs, Danish Wedding Cookies, or Pecan Sandies.
The basic recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies/Snowball Cookies consists of very few ingredients: butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nuts (usually pecans). The dough is then rolled into balls, baked, and rolled in powdered sugar.
