Mexican Wedding Cookies are a deliciously sweet cookie made with crushed pecans, coated in sugar, with a tender, buttery crumble.
Mexican wedding cookies are a delicious, buttery treat that is perfect for any occasion! These cookies are easy to make and always disappear quickly.
You’ll love the sweet, nutty flavor of these cookies – they’re irresistible!
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When the holidays come around we love to get in the kitchen and bake. Often times we stick to our classic cookie favorites and then add in a handful of new recipes.
Most of the time we find really good, classic recipes that have been forgotten about in the bottom of grandma’s old recipe tin. These Mexican Wedding Cookies are one of those that we are so happy to have found.
While this recipe is a spin off of our super easy snowball cookies – with the end result being quite similar, this recipe is as classic as it gets.
I know you’ll love them as much as we do. You holiday cookie platter won’t be complete with out them.
Russian Tea Cakes
Here are some commonly asked questions
What are Mexican Wedding Cookies?
These are sugar-coated butter cookies that are popular in Mexico, as well as the southwestern United States. The cookies usually have a pecan or walnut inside, and are sometimes dipped in chocolate. They are also known as “polvorones” or “tuiles.”
What is the origin of Mexican Wedding Cookies?
There is some debate over the origin of these cookies. Some say they originated in Spain, while others believe they came from Mexico. It is most likely that they were brought to Mexico by Spanish settlers, and then adopted by the locals.
Why are they called Mexican Wedding Cookies?
The name “Mexican wedding cookie” is a bit of a misnomer, as these cookies are not traditionally served at weddings in Mexico. In fact, they are more commonly served at Christmas time.
However, the name likely comes from the fact that these cookies are often served at weddings in the southwestern United States.
Ingredients for Mexican Wedding Cookies
- all-purpose flour
- pecan halves – finely chopped
- salted butter, softened
- confectioner’s sugar
- vanilla extract
- confectioner’s sugar – for rolling
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, and finely chopped pecans. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and the 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar with an electric hand or stand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes; Add vanilla and mix well.
- Stir in by hand, the flour and nut mixture. Mix just until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, roll each scoop into a ball shape and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Do not over bake.
- When cookies are cool enough to handle, around 2 minutes out of the oven, gently roll them in the confectioner’s sugar and place them on a cooling rack to cool. After the cookies have cooled, roll the cookies a second time in the confectioner’s sugar.
Making the cookies ahead of time
Yes, you can make these cookies ahead of time. I recommend that you make the dough up until the chilling point. Then keep the rolled dough in the fridge until you are ready to make them.
Then bake and roll in the sugar. I do not recommend refrigerating the baked and sugar-coated cookies. The sugar does not do well in the cool and damp climate of the refrigerator.
What is the difference between Mexican wedding cookies and polvorones?
Polvorones are a type of Mexican wedding cookie that is made with flour, sugar, butter, and nuts. They are usually round or oval in shape and have a sandy texture.
What is the best way to store leftover cookies?
The easiest way is to place in a large airtight container & store at room temperature. I like a large plastic bowl with a lid or a zip-top bag works great too.
Can you make Mexican wedding cookies without nuts?
Yes – just leave them out. The dough will be more moist, but taste more like a sugar cookie.
Expert Tips
- These cookies go by different names and are sometimes also called Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes
- Using a food processor to crush the pecans is the easiest way to get a uniform crumble.
- Using an electric mixer, or the paddle attachment with the bowl of a stand mixer works well for working the dough.
- Make sure you are rolling these little snowballs into 1-inch balls.
- Try making these buttery cookies using macadamia nuts.
- This classic holiday cookie can be enjoyed any time of year.
- We like to use a cookie scoop to make the ball shape when making these traditional snowball cookies.
- These classic cookies can be frozen if you place them in a freezer-safe container or air-tight container.
- Make sure to include this favorite Christmas cookie recipes on your holiday cookie tray.
- Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract
- These cookies are similar to shortbread cookies with their buttery flavor.
- Serve these cookies for the Christmas season and special occasions.
- Be sure to cool the cookies on a wire rack after baking.
- Confectioners’ sugar is the same as powdered sugar.
- This Mexican wedding cookies recipe is a great addition to cookie exchanges.
- Make sure you are using room temperature butter and mixing on low speed when making this classic Christmas cookie.
- Bake only on room temperature sheet pan, not hot baking pans.
- Bake only chilled dough as the dough balls will spread.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Yes – chill the dough before baking. If you want to make our similar recipe for snowball cookies – that one does not require chilling the dough.
The dough needs to be chilled of 20 minutes – unlike some recipes that need to be chilled for several hours or even overnight. Chill the dough in the fridge, wash up the dishes and before you know it, it is ready to be baked.
More Tips & Tricks
- If a cookie scoop is not available (#60 scoop), use a tablespoon for the scoop. It’s important for the cookies to be uniform in size for adequate baking uniformly.
- Use a food processor or hand-held chopper to finely chop the walnuts.
- You can use unsalted butter in place of salted, if desired; add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Try using walnuts instead of pecans.
- If the dough seems dry and does not hold together in the shape of a round ball in your hand, simply add water to the dough. Start with 1/2 tablespoon till you can roll the ball without it being crumbly.
- Doing more or less of the chopped nuts and flour will affect the texture of the cookie.
- Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to one week.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Do it before the cookies are coated in the sugar. Thaw in the fridge and then proceed with the baking directions above.
Don’t Miss These Other Pecan Recipes
- Easy Pecan Pie
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
- No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Hummingbird Cake
- Easiest Snowball Cookies
- Rolo Pretzel Turtles
- Fruit Cocktail Cake
- Best German Chocolate Cake
- Best Ever Cowboy Cookies
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes
- Divinity Candy
- Candied Pecans
- Rum Cake
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Products I love when making Mexican Wedding Cookies…
This cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe. (you can also SHOP MY FAVORITES in my store)
If you love this easy Mexican Wedding Cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups pecan halves finely chopped
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
- ⅓ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar – for rolling
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, and finely chopped pecans. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and the 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar with an electric hand or stand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes; Add vanilla and mix well.
- Stir in by hand, the flour and nut mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together and is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, roll each scoop into a ball shape and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Do not over bake.
- When cookies are cool enough to handle, around 2 minutes out of the oven, gently roll them in the confectioner's sugar and place them on a cooling rack to cool. After the cookies have cooled, roll the cookies a second time in the confectioner's sugar.
Notes
- If a cookie scoop is not available (#60 scoop), use a tablespoon for the scoop. It’s important for the cookies to be uniform in size for adequate baking uniformly.
- Use a food processor or hand-held chopper to finely chop the walnuts.
- You can use unsalted butter in place of salted, if desired; add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Walnuts may be substituted for the pecans.
- If the dough seems dry and does not hold together in the shape of a round ball in your hand, simply add water to the dough. Start with 1/2 tablespoon till you can roll the ball without it being crumbly.
- Doing more or less of the chopped nuts and flour will affect the texture of the cookie.
- Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to one week.
- These can be frozen for up to 3 months, but please freeze before the cookies are rolled in the sugar. Thaw in the fridge and then proceed with the baking directions above.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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