Mexican Wedding Cookies
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These Mexican Wedding Cookies are soft, buttery pecan cookies that melt-in-your-mouth! Don’t be fooled by the name, these little snowballs make a great addition to your favorite holiday cookie collection. They’ll be gone in seconds!
These cookies go by many different names! You may know them as something different, but I’ve always known them as Mexican Wedding Cookies or snowballs. Regardless of the name, these cookies are super easy to make, with a short list of simple pantry staple ingredients. They’re delicious and the perfect Christmas cookie!
Why Make These Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Easy To Make
- Simple, Short Ingredient List
- Can Be Made In Advance
- Perfect For The Holidays!
- They’re Delicious!
If you are a fan of pecans, you will love these Mexican wedding cookies. They totally melt in your mouth! Ground pecans, butter, powdered sugar, yum! Together it’s the perfect combination, they work together very well and create magic in your mouth. Whether you call them Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, or snowballs, they really are one of my favorite cookies during the holidays and not a Christmas goes by where I don’t make them!
Ingredient Notes
- Pecans – The pecans really make this cookie! If you’re not a fan of pecans, you can use walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts. I usually use a food processor to grind them up.
- Powdered Sugar – Same as icing sugar or confectioners sugar! This is what gives us the “snowball” look.
- Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium, make sure it’s at room temperature!
- Vanilla Extract – Without vanilla, our cookie will taste a little flat. You could also try almond extract if you like that almond flavor!
- Flour – All-purpose flour works best.
- Salt – Salt is imperative for baking! Don’t skip it.
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
- Pulse the Pecans: Place the pecans and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse the pecans and powdered sugar, until the nuts are finely ground, about 1 minute.
- Mix: In the bowl of your mixer, add the pecan mixture, the butter and vanilla. Mix it until everything is well combined.
- Combine: In another bowl mix the flour and salt together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until everything is well incorporated.
- Form: Scoop up tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll the dough between the palms of your hands into a ball or use a small cookie scoop to scoop out cookie dough. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for about 18 to 20 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Finish: In a bowl sift about a cup of powdered sugar then roll each cooled cookie in the sugar to coat it completely.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Mexican Wedding Cookie?
These cookies are super nutty and buttery! Made with crunchy pecans, formed into balls and rolled in powdered sugar.
Why Is It Called A Mexican Wedding Cookie?
Now, there is many speculations at how these cookies obtained their name. One finding that intrigued me was that many historians speculate the term Mexican wedding cookie was used to replace the term Russian teacake due to the strained U.S. relationship with Russia at the time because of the cold war! Call them what you want, they’re delicious either way!
Can I Make These In Advance?
Absolutely! I love making my Christmas cookies ahead of time, it’s so much easier. You can make your Mexican wedding cookies and freeze them (see “freezing” section below for full instructions). When you’re ready to serve, just roll them in more powdered sugar, no one will know the difference!
How To Serve
There isn’t a Christmas that goes by without these cookies on my holiday table! I eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. I have to make extra because they disappear that fast! They also make an excellent gift, especially if you’re an avid baker like me around the holidays.
Tips
- The key to these cookies is keeping them round and rolling them in powdered sugar to finish them off, it will ensure we get that snowball look and a sweet melty mouth feel.
- Not a pecan fan? You can always use chopped walnuts, almonds, or even hazelnuts! Whatever kind you prefer will work just fine.
- To bring out the flavor of the pecans even more, toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 F degrees or until you start to smell them.
- Don’t grease your cookie sheets. I always line them with parchment paper or a silpat, this way there’s no cleaning required afterwards.
Storing Mexican Wedding Cookies
You can store your Mexican wedding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar. Nobody will notice or mind!
Freezing
If you want to keep your cookies for longer, or save some time around the holidays by making them in advance – this recipe is perfect for that! Simply transfer your cooled cookies to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Let cookies thaw completely before serving. If you find they’ve lost some of their “snowball” appeal, just roll them in a little more powdered sugar! No one will be the wiser.
More Related Recipes
- Classic Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Pecan Snowballs
- Candied Walnuts
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Rumballs
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Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pecans
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (same as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
- 1 cup butter (unsalted, at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar (same as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
- Pulse the Pecans: Place the pecans and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse the pecans and powdered sugar, until the nuts are finely ground, about 1 minute.
- Mix: In the bowl of your mixer, add the pecan mixture, the butter and vanilla. Mix it until everything is well combined.
- Combine: In another bowl mix the flour and salt together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until everything is well incorporated.
- Form: Scoop up tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll the dough between the palms of your hands into a ball or use a small cookie scoop to scoop out cookie dough. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for about 18 to 20 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Finish: In a bowl sift about a cup of powdered sugar then roll each cooled cookie in the sugar to coat it completely.
Equipment
Notes
- The key to these cookies is keeping them round and rolling them in powdered sugar to finish them off, it will ensure we get that snowball look and a sweet melty mouth feel.
- Not a pecan fan? You can always use chopped walnuts, almonds, or even hazelnuts! Whatever kind you prefer will work just fine.
- To bring out the flavor of the pecans even more, toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350°F or until you start to smell them.
- Don’t grease your cookie sheets. I always line them with parchment paper or a silpat, this way there’s no cleaning required afterwards.
- You can store your Mexican wedding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days, if they’ll last that long. If you notice that the powdered sugar on them melts into the cookie, don’t worry. Just sprinkle them with more, or simply roll them through a bit more powdered sugar.
- To freeze, simply transfer your cooled cookies to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
These are SO incredibly delicious AND easy!! Thank you for sharing your recipe 🥰
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed them!
So yumm!! Made these with my 3 year old daughter today. They are absolutely delicious! This one is a keeper! Thank you Jo!
So glad you liked them!
This recipe is outstanding! I have made these for years but have never ground the pecans and icing sugar together- thank you for this!
this is very similar to my grandmother’s tried and true recipe and it wouldn’t feel like christmas without these cookies. my recipe uses granulated sugar in the dough instead of powdered. i am going to try your recipe this year. although the original recipe calls for pecans, i have often subbed almonds and they are delicious that way.
I noticed another commenter indicated that she rolls the cookies in the powdered sugar twice – once right out of the oven and once after they have cooled. my recipe calls for that step as well.
thank you for sharing this. it’s truly a holiday must-have!
I loved your Russian Tea Balls recipe a lot better then mine. I writing a recipe book of all my favorites for my daughters. I have included this recipe and some of other ones l have made that they loved also. Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year Thank You!
Wow congrats on writing a book! Merry Christmas to you too!
These have been a family favorite of ours for years. I originally learned this called snowballs.but same recipe and just as Delicious. Thanks
Do these freeze well? I made them 2 days ago and they are delicious. Thank you for the great recipe!
Yes they do! In fact, we have a batch in the freezer right now.
Jo, my family has been making these for years (decades). Our recipe is very like your except that the warm cookies are rolled in icing sugar, then cooled, then rolled in icing sugar a second time. It gives it a very nice coating. We always plate them with rum balls. Have you ever tried this? Recipe came from a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant back in the ’60s (restaurant is now a chain and cookies do not taste as good…lol)
I usually end up rolling them twice in icing sugar too. I have a great chocolate rumball recipe.
Are you going to share it?
Yes, the writing in blue is actually a link and if you click on it, it will take you to the recipe, or just click here.
I would be interested in the Rum Ball recipe if you can share.
Thank ou.
Chocolate Rum Ball Recipe
My grandmother made these when I was a kid and I’m almost 60 now… I have her handwritten recipe for them. They were my favorite. Using the food processor is a great idea and so much easier than chopping by hand. Thanks JO
My pleasure!
Can I use a vitamix instead of a food processor?
Yeah, I believe you can. I would consult the huge manual though 🙂 I haven’t gotten around to making dough in mine yet, but I know it’s possible.
JO
We were just invited to a Mexican dinner. So while looking up Mexican desserts I found your recipe. I am looking forward to tasting them when they come out of the oven. I already know that the raw batter was great. Thanks.
D
Oh you’ll love them! 🙂
Great recipe. Just made them tonight and they turned out great. I’m pinning to my Food & Booze board now.
Glad you liked them Summer.
My mom used to make these for Christmas when I was a kid! Thanks for the reminder! I can’t wait to try them again.
These are very similar with the Greek Kourabiedes. I like to add a little ground cloves, gives them a very nice flavor. Have a very merry Christmas!
Thanks Mihaela, you too!
I just made these cookies this weekend, with almond flour. They’re melt-in-your-mouth good and so delicate. I’ll be making more this Christmas season.
They do melt in your mouth. They are soo good!