This is another one of those recipes that has been long await to make in my que. When I first started teaching I was introduced to the fact that every Thursday before our Thanksgiving and Christmas break we would have a huge potluck in the teachers’ work room. There’d be an array of appetizers and desserts all spread out on the two counters behind the copy machines and you’d smell all of the wondrous food all through the library. From that first year our media specialist Pat has always brought it Mexican Wedding Cookies. I told her how amazing they were and she has always brought some on the side for me every year since.
My sister-in-law’s mom Reina makes these for the Holidays as well and calls them Snowballs. They have different names it seems depending on the region or who is making them. Also, chose to make these with pecans because my husband is not a fan of walnuts.
I was always intimidated by trying to make these because they looked complex and were so perfect. After reading over the recipe and realizing the fact that I had every ingredient in my kitchen already, I gave it a go! You don’t have to wait for Christmas to make and enjoy these Mexican wedding cookies! 🙂
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
2/3 cup (65 grams) toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts)
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners’ (powdered or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon (2 grams) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1 cup (110 grams) powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar, sifted
Prepare
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
2. Toast Nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Cool.
3. Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Set aside.
4. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
5. Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined.
7. Stir in the nuts.
8. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour or until firm.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
10. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
11. Form the chilled dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
12. Bake for about 12 – 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
13. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
14. Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper.
15. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the confectioners’ sugar on the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar.
16. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar).
17. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
- 2/3 cup (65 grams) toasted nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts)
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (110 grams) powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar, sifted
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
- Toast Nuts: Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Cool.
- Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Set aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined.
- Stir in the nuts.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Form the chilled dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line another baking pan or tray with parchment or wax paper.
- Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar on the bottom of the pan and then place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar.
- Place the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a fine strainer or sieve and then sprinkle the tops of the cookies (or you can just roll the cookies in the sugar).
- Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
