Here’s a classic Russian Tea Cake recipe — buttery, nutty, and coated in powdered sugar. Also called Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowball Cookies.
Russian Tea Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the dough
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and nuts.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Shape cookies
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake
- Bake 12–15 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden. Cookies should remain pale on top.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
5. Coat in powdered sugar
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar.
- Once completely cooled, roll a second time for a thick, snowy coating.
Tips
- For extra flavor, toast the nuts lightly before chopping.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature; they last 1–2 weeks.
- These cookies are perfect for holidays or gifting — very forgiving and always crowd-pleasing.
I can also give you a mini-bite version that’s perfect for parties or cookie platters if you want.
Do you want that version?
