A child with many names is a child loved many times. I don’t know where I read this quote originally, but I like it because my daughter has so many nicknames. It came to mind again this morning as I made these Mexican Wedding Cakes, aka Snowballs, aka Kourambiedes, aka Russian Tea Cakes. I guess a cookie with many names is a cookie loved many times too. This is my favorite version of that cookie.
Jump to Recipe
All of these "Snowballs" have small differences, but are basically well built globs of flour, sugar, butter and nuts coated in powdered sugar. This particular version has pecans and spreads slightly so they are more mounds than spheres. Here's one of my older pictures. You can see how the outer coating of powdered sugar is melting from the warmth of the cookie. Once cooled, these cookies get a second dusting of powdered sugar, but that little melted layer beneath adds more sweetness and texture variation.
The original version of this recipe called for a food processor, but you shouldn't have to use a food processor to make these so I've updated the recipe to a mixing bowl version. You can still use a food processor, just don't overprocess the pecans.
Mexican Wedding Cakes Tips!
These are not perfectly spherical like Snowballs. They should be rounded mounds, definitely not flat. Here are some tips including a few to help keep Mexican Wedding Cakes from spreading.
- Use fresh powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar). Powdered sugar tends to absorb odors if not stored properly, so always store it tightly sealed or it may throw off the flavor of the cookies.
- Use Land o' Lakes or another high quality brand of butter to help prevent the cookies from spreading. Lately I've been using salted.
- Also, don't overbeat the butter, as that can cause spreading. Beat or process just until creamy.
- It could be my imagination, but these seem to spread less when I use bleached flour. Use whatever flour you like, but if you are having issues with spreading try bleached. I've increased the flour to 2 cups or 250 grams.
- Toast the pecans before using. Just lay them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Some pecans brown faster than others, so keep an eye on them. Let them cool, then chop them very fine.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spread somewhat, but these do spread more than typical Snowballs.
Recipe
Mexican Wedding Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or use salted and only a tiny pinch of salt), (228 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60 grams)
- ⅜ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour** (250 grams)
- 2 cups pecan halves, toasted, cooled, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Toast the pecans by laying them on a baking sheet and baking at 350 for about 8 minutes or until they are fragrant. Toasting time may vary with size and type of pecan. Let cool completely, then chop very fine.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar and salt until creamy. Beat in vanilla.
- Add flour and stir just until blended, then stir in the very finely chopped pecans.
- Cover and chill for 1 to 3 hours.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets about 1 ½ inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time at 350 degree F. for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 3 minutes. Toss in sugar. Let cool completely then roll in more powdered sugar
Ameluz says
I had these are appetizers for my sweet fifteen. In Chihuahua, Mexico, where I'm from, we call them "biscochos". My aunt has a bakery and makes them all the time in different flavors. My favorites are almond and peanut butter!
Erin says
The Mexican name for these cookies is 'polvorones,' polvo meaning dust or powder, referring to the way they usually fall apart in your mouth, and possibly to the powdered sugar that is used.
Anna says
Sharon, thanks for the tip. I'll have to try that.
sharon says
If you roll them in granulated sugar before baking and then conf. sugar after baking, it is kind of like a little crunch crust on them. Very good
taban says
A Mexican wedding cake serving set is one that comes with a cake knife and server. These items usually have stainless steel blades; however there are some models that are silver or pewter plated for that extra visual effect to the wedding Cakes serving set.
Courtney says
My mom makes these every Christmas; we call them Snowballs. They are soooo good. And I hate pecans, so that says something.
Robyn says
Anna,
You are the master.
I've been thinking of these since I read the recipe this weekend, and I just broke down and made them.
Wow. The food processor made it so easy and the results are outstanding.
Thank you!
Dana says
These have been my "very favorite" Christmas cookie since I was a kid--we called them Russian Tea Cakes. I make a couple batches every year--in fact, the dough is in the freezer ready to go already! :o)
Cakespy says
Yes, a cookie of many faces and names! I have also heard them called "Armenian Sugar cookies". So funny how such a little cookie can have so many personalities. But I have always really loved them (my mom called them "Snowballs").
Julie O'Hara says
I made my version of these cookies on Saturday! I poured over 4 different recipes trying to figure out what effect all the different tweaks would have on the finished cookie. I ended up making a very basic version that is close to yours, but with 1/2 cup conf. sugar in the dough and 2 c. flour. I want the cookies to be very soft--sort of underbaked--on the inside, not overly crumbly. I liked how mine turned out, but they could have been softer. I really want to try some of the versions with granulated sugar (dorie greenspan) and superfine sugar (Cook's Illustrated), though I'm not sure how this will effect the cookie.
Julie
Brenda says
I will have to try this recipe. A grocery store in my hometown in west Texas makes them and they put a dollop of colored or chocolate frosting on top (similar to a thumbprint cookie). I always drop by the store to buy some when I'm in town. I have a feeling this recipe is similar.
Have you ever had a cookie like this with almond extract instead of vanilla? Very good too.
Anna says
Hi Anj,
I guess these are kind of like pecan sandies.....pecan sandies covered in powdered sugar,
Jennifer and Emiline, I knew you guys would recognize these. They're ubiquitous, but for a good reason.
Joan, thanks for the story. Now I'm going to think "for Bertha's sake" whenever I eat a cookie. I've been out of control with my cookie sampling this week.....but it's all been for Bertha's sake.
Therese, thanks for being so quick to try this version. What's nice about this version is that the dough it somewhat pliable so you could mold it into crescents if you wanted. Some other Mexican Wedding Cake dough is so stiff you can barely shape it into balls. Those are the recipes I find too floury.
Kathy, if it turns up, let me know. Sounds interesting.
Kathy says
I used to have a recipe for this cookie that was made with biscuit mix, and it was surprisingly good...have temporarily misplaced the recipe for about the last ten years, but I'm sure it will turn up!
Therese says
I just made these following your recipe...oh boy....melt in your mouth good!!! I think my mom makes these but, my she shapes them into a crescent shape (half moon-like). I think these were better!!! Easy to make! Thanks for sharing this one!
Joan Skoglund says
When I was a child, my Mother came home from a party with the recipe. The woman who gave it to her was named Bertha and told how she came by the recipe. "I was at a party when this plate of finger-shaped cookies was passed and I took one for politeness' sake. When the plate was passed again, I took two for Bertha's sake." We've always called them pecan fingers and I'll never forget this little story!
Joan (who reads your page every day!)
Emiline says
My grandma makes these every Christmas; I love them. I don't know what we call them. We just call them good.
They're so small, you can eat about a dozen.
Jennifer says
One of my all-time favorites!
Anj says
I love that saying, I might have to steal that. We call them Pecan Sandies and I make these for a friend each year as her gift. Whatever you call them, they are a great cookie.