It is a slight mystery why these are called Russian tea cakes and not cookies, but no matter the name, they are delicious. How can you go wrong with toasted pecans, brown butter and sugar? The texture is like a shortbread cookie that is taken to new heights by the richness of the nuts. They are typically served at the holidays, maybe because they look like little snow balls, and at special occasions, like weddings, as the name suggests. This holiday my aunt Kristin, who is my pastry muse, requested them. It is ridiculous that my house isn’t stocked with them all year round. The recipe is so simple and the results so incredible. Thanks to Kristin my cookie jar is now full. They make a great gift because they pack up well and actually improve with a bit of time, which can’t be said for many cookies.
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cakes (Russian Tea Cookies)
Watch me make these cookies step by step, and you’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of this post!
Preheat oven to 350°F, with the racks at the top and lower third of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a food processor pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar until they are a fine meal.
In a large bowl combine the nut mixture, flour and salt with a whisk.
In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the browned butter and 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out the dough and roll them in your palms to create round balls. Position them on the lined cookie sheet so they have about 1 1/2 inches between them.
Bake for about 12 minutes (rotate the trays and switch from top to bottom, half way through the baking), until the bottoms are golden and the tops set, but pale. The tops will crack slightly.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before you roll them in the confectioners’ sugar. If you roll them too soon the sugar will melt and get clumpy.
Dip the cookies a few at a time in the sugar. Dip them again right before you pack or serve them.
Ingredients
- 2 cup (7 1/2 oz) pecans lightly toasted and cooled
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) confectioners' sugar for processing nuts
- 4 cups (18 oz) bleached all-purpose flour measured with spoon and sweep
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 sticks (1 lb) unsalted butter, browned strained and cooled to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla homemade vanilla recipe
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups (8 oz) confectioners’ sugar for dipping the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, with the racks at the top and lower third of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a food processor pulse the nuts and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar until they are a fine meal.
- In a large bowl combine the nut mixture, flour and salt with a whisk.
- In a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the browned butter and 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out the dough and roll them in your palms to create round balls. Position them on the lined cookie sheet so they have about 1 1/2 inches between them.
- Bake for about 12 minutes (rotate the trays and switch from top to bottom, half way through the baking), until the bottoms are golden and the tops set, but pale. The tops will crack slightly.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before you roll them in the confectioners' sugar. If you roll them too soon the sugar will melt and get clumpy.
- Dip the cookies a few at a time in the sugar. Dip them again right before you pack or serve them.
Enjoy more holiday baking ideas:
These are a perfect gift! And look completely yummy, too!
Totally making these tomorrow!
Thank you.
These look lovely and I am sure they are a “secret recipe” that one of my daughters MIL makes so I am happy to have it.
I make these. I was originally taught to roll them in powdered sugar while still warm?
Hi Barbara,
Rolling them when they are warm will melt the sugar and create an uneven coat of the sugar. If you wait until the cookies are cooled they will be more even.
Thanks, Zoë
Yum! I grew up in Southern CA and we always called these Mexican Wedding cakes…so yummy! They’re one of my all time favorites. I’ve never added almond extract to them and am going to try it. Thank you for sharing!
Oh Zoe! the memories of Christmas and these cookies. love Dad
Hi Dad,
I’ll bring you some tomorrow! xo z
Zoe,
Why bleached flour? Would unbleached work just as well? The cookies look divine.
Hi Tucsonbabe,
Bleached flour has slightly less protein than unbleached, so the cookies are a little more tender when you use the bleached. If you use unbleached you may want to decrease the flour by a few tablespoons.
Thanks, Zoë
These are my absolute favorite cookies! I really should make them sometime soon.
You and I, Zoe, are on the level. I was planning on making these today to mail to loved ones! 🙂
Hi Zoe! Just wanted to let you know I put up a post where I used the Emile Henry baking dish I won from your giveaway. It’s an absolutely beautiful plate and I mentioned it’s wonderfulness and your blog in my post. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out 🙂 Thanks SO very much for the dish!
http://lifessimplemeasures.blogspot.com/2011/12/improv-cooking-challenge-cranberry.html
These cookies bring back so many memories. I need to make them with my kids this weekend! Also, I just wanted to let you know I am sharing your carrot cake recipe on my blog right now. http://www.brittanyspantry.blogspot.com/ The only bummer is that is already gone and the pictures make me want to make it again. So perfect for the holidays! I live in Illinois now, but I grew up in Forest Lake, north of the twin cities. Stay warm up there!!
I also think it is sweet that your Dad comments on your blog…:)
This look so good! I’ve never made these – I tend to make too many treats with chocolate, ha. I’ll have to add them to ever-growing holiday baking list.
I love these. We always have these here in California– not just at Christmas. But they do make a perfect accompaniment to cocoa!
I know this is a silly question but at what point do you add the vanilla
and almond extract?
I love these things!
Now that the holidays are behind us the memories of the tea cakes still linger.
how long do these keep?
Hi Fay,
They seem to last about a week. You can certainly freeze the cookies before adding the powdered sugar.
Thanks, Zoë
in our neck of the woods we call these babies pecan balls. yes, if dropped into the powdered sugar while warm the sugar does get sticky but at the same time it clings very well to the warm pastry. when cool the balls are dropped into the powdered sugar a second time which adds more powdered sugar depth, a cloud-like sensation we enjoy very much
How many cookies does the recipe yield?
how many does this make
I’ve read and reread the recipes but can’t find where you add the vanilla and almond flavorings. So I just added them with the butter mixture. It took a long while to brown all that butter but what a huge flavor difference it made. My cookies were delicious. This will be my go to recipe on the days I have a little extra time for baking. Thanks for the terrific recipe.