Russian Tea Cakes Mexican Wedding Cakes Cookies Recipes

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
• Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES / MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Toast nuts. Place nuts on a separate baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes (or until lightly brown and fragrant) in a 350 degree F oven. Cool.
• Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons of the flour for the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are finely ground (but not a paste). Or the nuts can be hand chopped until very fine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined.
• Stir in the nuts.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm.
• Once the dough is firm, form the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Roll the semi-cool cookies in the sifted powdered sugar and return to rack to cool completely.
• Store in airtight container for up to 10 days.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cream Sugar-Butter Mixture: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat set aside. In a stand mixer (or use a handheld electric mixer), cream the unsalted butter, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla together, until combined.
• Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt, then combine with a whisk.
• Make the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the nuts. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch-sized dough balls and space them evenly out on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in a 400°F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should bake until set but not be browned. When they are still warm, roll them in the confectioner's sugar. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack and then roll them again. (see notes for storage guidelines).

PECAN PUFFS (AKA MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES OR RUSSIAN TEA CAKES)

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar and remaining ingredients.
• Roll into small balls, and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake in 325 F oven for 30 minutes.
• Roll balls into powdered sugar when hot, and again when cool.
• Note: These cookies taste best when thoroughly cooled (ie best served the next day--if you can wait!).