Authentic Mexican Wedding Cookies: A Recipe For Success

Mexican wedding cookies are a delightful treat, perfect for any occasion, from weddings to holiday gatherings. These cookies, also known as Russian tea cakes, polvorones, or snowballs, are tiny, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth treats. They are often coated in powdered sugar, giving them a sweet and delicate finish. The cookies have a rich, nutty flavour, usually achieved with pecans or walnuts, and a crumbly texture due to the absence of eggs.

Making Mexican wedding cookies is a straightforward process that begins with creaming together butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. The dry ingredients, including flour, nuts, and sometimes cinnamon or other spices, are then mixed in gradually to form a dough. This dough is shaped into balls and baked until set, after which the cookies are generously rolled in powdered sugar.

So, whether you're craving a sweet treat or planning for a special event, Mexican wedding cookies are a delicious choice that will surely impress!

Rolling the dough into balls

First, portion the dough into equal-sized scoops. You can use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to ensure uniformity in size. The dough scoops should be around 1-inch in diameter. If the dough is too sticky to work with, chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to firm it up before rolling.

Next, use your hands to gently roll each scoop of dough into a smooth ball. Take your time to shape them as round as possible. If the dough still feels sticky, you can moisten your hands slightly or sprinkle a tiny bit of water over the dough to help it hold its shape.

Once you've formed the dough into balls, they're ready to be baked! Place them on a parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake at a temperature of around 350-400°F for 10-20 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and lightly golden. Be careful not to overbake them, as they should remain pale in colour.

After baking, let the cookies cool on the tray for a minute or two. Then, it's time for the fun part – rolling them in powdered sugar! Place some powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and gently roll each warm cookie in the sugar until evenly coated. Set them on a cooling rack to cool completely. For an extra sweet touch, you can roll the cookies in powdered sugar a second time once they've reached room temperature.

And that's it! You now have a batch of delicious, buttery Mexican wedding cookies to enjoy.

Baking the cookies

Now that you've prepared your Mexican wedding cookie dough, it's time to bake!

First, preheat your oven to between 325°F and 400°F. While the oven is heating up, form the dough into balls. For smaller cookies, make 1-inch balls, and for larger cookies, opt for 1 1/4-inch balls. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on their size and your oven temperature. Keep an eye on them to ensure they only turn a light golden brown. If they get too dark, they may become hard.

Once they're done, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly. For the best results, roll the cookies in powdered sugar while they're still warm. This will give them a delicious, sweet coating. You can roll them a second time once they've cooled to room temperature if you want an extra sugary kick.

And that's it! Your Mexican wedding cookies are now ready to serve. Enjoy the buttery, nutty, melt-in-your-mouth goodness!

Rolling the cookies in sugar

Before you start rolling, it is essential to prepare the cookies and the sugar properly. First, make sure your cookies are slightly warm but not hot. They should be cool enough to handle without burning your fingers. The ideal time to roll them in sugar is when they have cooled for about 15 minutes after baking. At this stage, they are still warm enough for the sugar to stick and create a sweet coating.

Next, prepare a shallow bowl or container filled with powdered sugar. You can also use a plastic storage bag if you prefer, but a bowl allows for easier rolling. Place about a cup of powdered sugar in the bowl and have a few cookies ready to roll at a time.

Now, for the rolling technique: gently take a cookie and place it in the bowl with the sugar. Use a spoon or your fingers to sprinkle sugar over the cookie, ensuring it is evenly coated. Then, carefully pick up the cookie and gently roll it in the sugar with your fingertips, applying light pressure. Continue rolling until the cookie is completely covered in a thin layer of sugar. You can also gently shake the bowl to help the sugar coat the cookie evenly.

Once you have achieved a nice, even coating, place the cookie on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat this process for the remaining cookies, rolling a few at a time. If you're using a plastic bag, simply drop a few cookies into the bag, add some sugar, and shake gently until they are coated. This method may result in a slightly thicker sugar layer.

Finally, once the cookies have cooled completely, you have the option to roll them in the sugar again. This step is entirely optional but will give your Mexican wedding cookies an extra sweet touch. Simply follow the same rolling technique as before, using a light hand to ensure the cookies don't crumble.

Remember, the key to success is working with slightly warm cookies and using a light touch when rolling them in the sugar. Enjoy your delicious, sugar-coated Mexican wedding cookies!

Chilling the dough

Before you start making the dough, ensure that your butter is softened, but not melted. Room temperature butter is ideal, so if your butter has been in the fridge or freezer, let it sit out for an hour or two to soften. This will make it easier to work with and ensure a smooth, creamy consistency when mixed with the other ingredients.

Once you have prepared your dough by mixing together the butter, sugar, and other dry ingredients, you may find that your dough is too soft to work with. In this case, it is important to chill the dough before proceeding. Cover your bowl of dough and place it in the refrigerator. Aim for a chilling time of around 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the dough to firm up and become less sticky, making it easier to shape into balls.

If you are short on time, you can also place the dough in the freezer for a quicker chill. However, be careful not to forget about it, as you don't want the dough to freeze solid. Around 10-15 minutes in the freezer should be sufficient.

Once your dough is chilled, you can start forming it into balls. If you are having trouble getting the dough to hold its shape, try moistening your hands slightly or sprinkling a very small amount of cold water over the dough and gently working it in. This should help the dough hold together without affecting the overall consistency too much.

After shaping your dough into balls, you can place them on a baking sheet and return them to the refrigerator to keep them chilled until you are ready to bake. This will help maintain their shape and prevent spreading or flattening while baking.

If you have any leftover dough, you can also freeze it for future use. Form it into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer bag. When you're ready to bake again, simply thaw the dough in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before rolling and baking as usual.

Adding nuts

Nuts are a key ingredient in Mexican wedding cookies, adding a rich, nutty flavour and a light, crunchy texture. While pecans are the most popular choice, walnuts are also a common option and you can even use almonds or crushed walnuts for a different take on the traditional recipe.

To prepare the nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over low heat for about five minutes, or until they are fragrant. Then, place them in a food processor and pulse until they form a coarse meal. You can also use a rolling pin to crush the nuts inside a sealable freezer bag. Just be sure not to over-process them, or they will turn into nut butter!

Once you have your nut meal, it's time to make the dough. Cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Then, mix in the vanilla and any other extracts you are using. Gradually add the flour and cinnamon, if using, and finally, mix in the nuts.

If the dough is too sticky to work with, chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up before rolling it into balls. If the dough is too crumbly, try adding a small amount of water and gently working it in with your hands.

Bake the cookies according to your recipe instructions, and then comes the fun part: rolling them in powdered sugar! This is best done while the cookies are still warm, as it helps the sugar stick and creates a delicious, sweet coating. Let the cookies cool completely before serving.

And there you have it—delicious, nutty Mexican wedding cookies!

Frequently asked questions