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Mexican Wedding Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)
5 from 33 votes

Mexican Wedding Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)

Mexican Wedding Cookies, also known as Russian Tea Cakes, are buttery, crumbly cookies featuring finely chopped pecans. These cookies are tender and melt in the mouth, rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet, snowy coating. Toasting the nuts beforehand deepens their flavor, and the dough's delicate crumb requires gentle handling to preserve its texture.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Cooling Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 118 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian, American, Mexican, Russian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup pecans *chopped
  • powdered sugar for rolling (about 2 cups)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For added flavor, take a few minutes to toast your nuts. Spread pecan halves (or whatever nut you would like to use) on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes until toasty and fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn! Cool completely before adding to the cookies. I stuck mine in the fridge. 
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. 
  3. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. 
  4. Add 2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat until the flour is not quite incorporated. 
  5. Add 3/4 cup chopped pecans. You can chop with a knife or give them a whir in the food processor or blender. How fine you chop them is completely up to you. See photos for how I did it. If you measure a generous 3/4 cup of pecan halves, it chops up to about the same amount. 
  6. Stir in the pecans until incorporated. Don't over mix the dough. It should come together in a ball. If your mixer can't handle it, do it by hand. If you are still having trouble, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. 
  7. Cover the dough and chill for about an hour or two, until the dough is a bit more firm.
  8. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Or you can lightly grease the baking sheet)
  9. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. You can make them somewhere between 1 inch and 1 and 1/2 inches across. Make sure they are all uniform. 
  10. Place the dough balls on the baking sheets. You can put them pretty close together, about an inch apart. These cookies hardly spread at all. 
  11. Bake at 350 for about 9-11 minutes. The cookies should be firm on the edges. Don't over bake or they will be dry. 
  12. Let the cookies set up on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. 
  13. Add about 2 cups of powdered sugar to a shallow bowl. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cooling rack.
  14. Once the rolled cookies have cooled for another 30-60 minutes, roll them in powdered sugar again.
  15. Eat at least one of these warm!! It's so good!

Notes

  • Toast nuts first to bring out deeper flavor and prevent sogginess.
  • Nut quantity can vary up to 2 cups; more nuts may require adding milk to help dough bind.
  • Chop nuts to preferred size; texture varies with coarser or finer pieces.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cookie Calories 118kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Potassium 18mg (0%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 159IU (3%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 4mg (0%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 36 cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 118

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cookie
Calories 118kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Potassium 18mg 0%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 159IU 3%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.