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An unassuming fluffy little cookie that is a mandatory addition to a holiday cookie platter. Mexican Wedding Cookies are tender, crumbly little shortbread cookies studded with nuts and coated in powdered sugar while they’re still warm. It’s one of my favorite cookie box recipes!
You might not know the exact name of these cookies, but everyone knows they love them when they see them on a cookie plate or in a cookie box. They’re super tender–almost to the point of being crumbly. Perfectly buttery, sweet and with a satisfying crunch from a few pecans or walnuts stirred in.
Other names I’ve heard for Mexican Wedding Cookies:
- Russian Tea Cakes or Swedish Tea Cakes, not to be confused with my Tea Cakes that are a Southern cookie with nutmeg not rolled in powdered sugar.
- Polvorones is the other name I commonly call these, which is Spanish for powder, which I assume refers to the powdered sugar coating on these (the best part of the cookie!)
- Snowball cookies, because they look like perfectly round little snowballs!
- Pecan Sandies is something other people might say, but in my book, Pecan Sandies do not have a powdered sugar coating! Also, pecan sandies are made with crushed pecans in the dough, not just chopped pecans stirred in. My Pecan Shortbread recipe is more similar to a Pecan Sandie than these cookies!
- Viennese crescents are really similar to these cookies, but they’re rolled into a moon shape and often contain hazelnuts instead of pecans or walnuts.
Ingredients
- Butter. One stick (8 tablespoons/ 113 grams) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. We will be adding salt to this dough so it’s best to use unsalted butter. The best way to soften butter to room temperature is to open the stick of butter, dice it up and leave it out on the counter for 30-60 minutes (timing depends on the air temperature in your house).
- Sugar. One-third cup of granulated sugar. This Mexican Wedding Cookies recipe isn’t too sweet because we’ll be rolling the cookies in powdered sugar after baking for more sweetness.
- Vanilla. It’s really important to use a high-quality vanilla extract here, because the dough is very simple and each individual component really shines. If you can find a Mexican vanilla with its slightly spicy flavor notes, it’s the best here!
- Flour. One cup of flour. This recipe makes just 1 dozen cookies, so you can double it easily if you need to.
- Salt. One-quarter teaspoon of fine sea salt.
- Pecans. One-third cup of chopped pecans weighs about 40 grams. Be sure to toast them first, if they aren’t already!
- Powdered Sugar. One-half cup of powdered sugar is enough for rolling one dozen cookies.
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
In a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer until fluffy the softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Beat for about 2 minutes.
Next, sprinkle flour and salt evenly over the bowl, and then beat again, just to combine.
Finally, stir in the chopped pecans.
Divide the mixture in half by eye, and form 6 cookies out of each half. Roll in your hands to form perfect balls and evenly space them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown edges and light color on the tops of the cookies.
Remove the cookies from the pan after 5 minutes of cooling, and then roll each one in the powdered sugar.
How to Store Cookies for Cookie Tin:
These Mexican wedding cookies keep well at room temperature in an air-tight container for up 3 days. The powdered sugar protective layer keeps them fresh. You can move them to the cookie tin anytime in the 3 days. You can freeze this dough before baking, or after baking. However, do not roll in powdered sugar if you plan on freezing them–save that step until you’re ready to pack them up or serve them.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
These Mexican wedding cookies are my favorite for gifting cookie boxes!
Ingredients
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (~40 grams) chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Evenly sprinkle over the flour and salt and beat again, just until mixed.
- Finally, stir in the pecans.
- Divide into 12 dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 11-14 minutes. Look for slightly browning edges.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Pour the powdered sugar into a small shallow bowl. Remove each cookie from the sheet and roll it carefully in powdered sugar. Move the cookies to a rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 3g
LOVE that you guys make them green!
I’ll take 5 hundred billion.
Ah, these take me back to my grandma’s house! Love the green addition too. Thanks Christina!
I just finished making this recipe – they turned out perfect! I’d never had a Mexican Wedding Cookie before (think of all the lost years I could’ve been eating these!) but had some extra pecans lying around. I don’t think they’re going to make it to the end of the day =)
I LOVE these things! How fun that ya’ll make them green. The are a must for our family every year around Christmas.
Gorgeous! They look delicious!
I’m not gonna lie…the green freaked me out. Haha! I’d still totally eat a whole cookie platter full of these guys, though, green or not.
haha, i was wondering why they were green! i thought it was my screen ;) these are one of my FAVORITE cookies around the holidays. i LOVE how they’re melt in your mouth good!
My family does a big cookie baking session every year where we make far too many of a large variety of cookies. We’ve always done Mexican Wedding cookies – they’re definitely tasty and fun and I love your take on dying them green! Red would be fun too! Very festive and fun!
I totally love that your family makes them green – so festive! And I bet they taste absolutely amazing. So excited to see all the cookies you’re going to come up with this week : )