Servings
Font
Back
0 from 0 votes

Russian Tea Cakes

Classic, old-fashioned Christmas cookies! Russian tea cakes - also called snowball cookies - are sweet, buttery shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar. They're festive and super easy to make.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 26 large round cookies
Calories: 149 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond flavor
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
  • powdered sugar, to coat (about ½ cup)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter, vanilla, almond flavoring, and sugar.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. It will look crumbly at first, but keep mixing until it comes together in a thick dough. Mix in walnuts.
  4. Shape dough into balls (about the size of golf balls). Place about 1 inch apart on parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until set and firm to the touch (but not browned). Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes, then roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again.

Notes

  • The cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. They do not need to be refrigerated; however, I find that if the house is really humid, the powdered sugar stays dry best when stored in the refrigerator.
  • These cookies freeze really well, too! Just package in airtight containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When thawed, you will probably need to re-roll the balls in powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cookie Calories 149kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 19mg (6%) Sodium 96mg (4%) Potassium 29mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 218IU (4%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 7mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 26large round cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 149

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cookie
Calories 149kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 96mg 4%
Potassium 29mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 218IU 4%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

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