Classic Snowball Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies)
Print Recipehese buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, also known as Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies, are a holiday favorite. Tender shortbread-like balls studded with toasted nuts and coated in powdered sugar for a snowy look.
Servings: 40 cookies
equipment (affiliate links
- kitchen scale recommended
- Half Sheet Pan no-stick or use parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 c. (115 g) pecans or walnuts finely chopped (recommend toasting)
- 1 c. (226 g) salted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ c. (60 g) powdered sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ c. (280 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)
- ¼ tsp salt
Powdered Sugar Coating
- 1½ c. (180 g) powdered sugar plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Toast the nuts (don't skip this!): Spread the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5–7 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely, then finely chop if needed (a food processor makes this quick).
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Mix in the vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Whisk flour and salt together, then gradually mix into the butter mixture on low speed. Stir in the toasted nuts. The dough might look crumbly at first but will hold when pressed—or come together smoothly, depending on butter temperature.
- Shape the balls: Roll tablespoon-sized portions into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets.
- Bake: 12–15 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden (tops stay pale).
- Coat with sugar: Let the cookies cool for just 5 minutes (they should still be quite warm). For the classic double coating, first place the warm cookies in a large zip-top bag with about 1½ cups powdered sugar, seal, and gently shake to coat evenly. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, repeat: add more powdered sugar to the bag (or a fresh batch) and shake again for that extra thick, snowy layer.
Video
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter (not melted) for the best texture.
- Weigh ingredients for accuracy—especially flour!
- If dough feels too soft, chill for 20–30 minutes.
- The zip-top bag shake method is great for even coating without getting sugar everywhere—work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
- Store in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze baked (uncoated) cookies up to 3 months.
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
