There’s buzz on Twitter about a new book called “Ratio” and some people are going out and buying scales. Yay! Scales! Homesick Texan (Lisa) bought one and used the book’s ratios to create her own Mexican wedding style cookie. She wanted a ratio of 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter and 3 parts flour. That is, 2 oz sugar, 4 oz fat and 6 oz flour (a combo of wheat & nut flour). I made a batch today, substituting a few of my favorite flavors, and the cookies were delicious.
Just for fun, I decided to repeat the success with the King Arthur Cookie Companion’s ratios which are similar to the ones Lisa used when you take into account the powdered sugar on the outside of the cookie. 1 part sugar (4 oz) 2 parts butter (8 oz) and 3 parts flour/meal (12 oz) with more of the flour coming from the wheat flour.
I changed up the flavors, though. It’s National Pecan month so I used pecans and since I had all those Costco dried blueberries, I threw in some of those. Where blueberries go, lemon follows. So I added that too. These were excellent.
Blueberry-Pecan Mexican Wedding Cookies
Blueberry-Lemon-Pecan Mexican Wedding Cookies
8 oz unsalted butter (2 sticks/230 grams) room temperature
2 oz powdered sugar (1/2 cup/60 grams)
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice plus 1/2 heaping tsp. zest
2.5 oz ground toasted pecans (3/4cup/70 grams)**
9.5 oz flour (2 ¼ cups/280 grams)
3 oz dried blueberries, chopped up a bit (use more or less)
2 oz powdered sugar for rolling (1/2 cup/56 grams)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or just use an ungreased cookie sheet.
Cream the butter and 2 oz (1/2 cup) powdered sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in the salt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir in the pecan meal, then add the flour and stir until absorbed. Stir in the berries. Shape into balls the size of a chestnut. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for about 15-10 minutes or until they are just beginning to brown.
Roll the hot cookies in the remaining powdered sugar and let cool completely. When they are cool, roll them in the sugar again.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies **I ground mine in a coffee grinder
Note: This recipe halves easily.
Anna says
April 25, 2009 at 8:10 pmWell I try, Greg. I try.
Greg says
April 25, 2009 at 7:52 pmMmmm… I can’t be the first to say this: your blog makes me awfully hungry!
Sue says
April 25, 2009 at 7:34 amI’ve never had a Mexican wedding cookie with fruit added in. I think it’s intriguing.
I wonder what your dried blueberries would taste like in a bowl of oatmeal? I like blueberries in oatmeal, but I don’t like it when they turn it that awful gray color. I’ll bet the dried ones wouldn’t do that.
RecipeGirl says
April 25, 2009 at 7:26 amWhat a neat idea. I too have a giant bag of those Costco dried blueberries!!
Off to check out the Ratio book!
Pearl says
April 24, 2009 at 11:18 pmhow very cool!
Elyse says
April 24, 2009 at 10:47 pmI’m totally intrigued by the Ratio book. Meanwhile, these cookies look great. I love the changes that you made. Blueberry seems like such a great addition to a traditional Mexican wedding cookie. Fabulous, Anna!
Tracy says
April 24, 2009 at 8:58 pmThey sound yummy!
Kristacular says
April 24, 2009 at 3:58 pmYes I LOVE measuring. I measure EVERYTHING!!!! I CANNOT wait to make these cookies! What a nice twist!
K:)
Lisa Ernst says
April 24, 2009 at 2:34 pmLike Katrina, I love Mexican wedding cookies but never would have imagined adding blueberry and lemon. What a great idea!
Lisa says
April 24, 2009 at 2:29 pmI know what my next batch of ratio cookies will be! And how did I miss that it was National Pecan month?
snooky doodle says
April 24, 2009 at 2:13 pmthe addition of blueberries must be do yummy
Louise says
April 24, 2009 at 1:35 pmI’ll have to see what the result would be with dried cranberries and walnuts. Using your recipe but my ratio, my Mexican Wedding cookies would have more, about 2 1/2 cups total, nuts and blueberries. I don’t grind them as fine as a coffee grinder can do, but carefully use the Cuisinart. “Ratio” just came out a couple of weeks ago. I’ve had it on my Amazon list a while after stumbling upon the author’s website a while ago. I’m waiting to see more reviews.
Janice says
April 24, 2009 at 1:25 pmAnna,
I’m a total convert to weighing over measuring. It’s so much more accurate, and yields much more uniform results.
LOL, you are determined to use those dried blueberries;-)
Katrina says
April 24, 2009 at 1:20 pmOoh, I wouldn’t have thought of adding anything else to the Mexican wedding cookies (which are one of my favorite cookies!). The lemon sounds awesome as well as the blueberries. (Yes, still deprived.) jk
VeggieGirl says
April 24, 2009 at 12:45 pmInteresting with the ratios! And a great cookie.