Lorraine D. Hebler

Russian Tea Cakes

By Lorraine

Called Russian Tea cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowballs, these tender cookies coated in powdered sugar are melt in your mouth yummy!
Russian Tea cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowballs ~ call them whatever you want, these tender little cookies coated in confectioners’ sugar are melt in your mouth yummy!

 
Called Russian Tea cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowballs, these tender cookies coated in powdered sugar are melt in your mouth yummy!
 

History and origin of Russian Tea Cakes

The history and origin of these sweet cookies is varied. The same cookie has many different names and slight adaptations depending on where it’s made.
 
In Greece, butter cookies are shaped like crescents and referred to as kourabiedes. Shaped much like a kourabiedes, Eastern Europeans make a version called Viennese crescents.These popular cookies are also called snowballs or pecan sandies on the East Coast of the United States, as they resemble snow or sand thanks to their powdered-sugar dusting.

They are also refer to as Russian tea cookies, but speculation suggests that in the 1950s, the name changed to Mexican wedding cake or cookies in America to diverge from any Cold War context due to the strained relations with Russia at the time.

 
Since tea time in 19th century Russia was always served with some kind of cakes, cookies or candy, this may suggest a tie between “Russian Tea Cakes” and actual Russian tea culture.
 

Irresistibly tender cookies

Whatever you call them, these irresistibly tender nut cookies that are coated in white powdery confectioners sugar are a favorite at Christmas time or any time of year.
 

Russian Tea Cakes

 
 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup butter, softened
    1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1⁄4 cups sifted flour
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 3⁄4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • powdered sugar (for rolling baked cookies in)
     
     

DIRECTIONS

Cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.

Whisk together the flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.

Chill the dough if it seems too soft.

Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the cookies from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.

Cookies may be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature.

NOTE: Forming dough into 1″ balls will increase yield to 48 cookies.

 

More sweet treats you might also like…

Cookie Dough GiftsEasy holiday gifts your friends will love, chocolate chip cookie dough in festive packaging is frozen and ready to bake. Fresh from the oven, homemade cookies without the work!

 

Italian PizzellesOh, the amazing pop of flavor of anise in this crisp and buttery Italian wafer cookie. An easy recipe made with a pizzelle maker for your Christmas cookie tray or dessert table.

 

Easy Homemade Caramels made in the MicrowaveSuper easy recipe for delicious caramels using the microwave. Soft candy begins with condensed milk and in just a few minutes it is ready to pour into a dish. Cool, cut and enjoy! Lovely packaged up for holiday gift-giving.

 

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