Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican Wedding Cookies...AKA Danish Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, Butterballs, or Snowballs. These little guys are soft pecan shortbread cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar. And they are delicious. And addicting. I found this recipe through Tastespotting on a blog called Eat Yet. If you love pecan shortbread cookies, then you’re gonna love these guys. I don’t even love pecan shortbread cookies and I love these guys. They are equally as good without being rolled in the powdered sugar too. I’ll definitely be making them again.

I made them for my friend Katie, who designed my whole blog. Did you know that web design is super hard? I did not know this until I created this blog. My version looked like crap. It would have hurt your eyes. Anyway, I’m super thankful that Katie helped me set all of this up so I could start putting my recipes on here! Her only request was Mexican Wedding Cookies, so here they are. I hope you love them Katie! :)

Makes ~ 28 cookies

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of pecans 
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Feel free to skip through the picture demonstration to get straight to the listed directions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.

                         

Start out by adding your pecans and 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar to a food processor of blender. Pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Set the pecan mixture aside.

Next add the softened butter and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl and mix on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.

Once the butter and sugar have been thoroughly combined, add the almond and vanilla extracts. Then dump the flour, salt, and pecan mixture into the bowl and mix on low speed until combined.

Next pinch the dough out of the bowl and roll into 1 inch balls. Place onto the lined baking sheets and space 2 inches apart.

Using a drinking glass, slightly press down on each cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating once half way through the baking time. 

Mine took a total of 12 minutes to bake. The cookies should look a little cracked on the top when they are done. 

They will not change much in color on the top, but check the bottom of the cookie and make sure they are light golden brown.

Allow to cool completely before rolling in the remaining powdered sugar. If you don't let them cool completely, they will crumble up! These guys are super delicate right out of the oven. And also delicious. You should try one plain at this point...

Once they are all cool, place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl and throw a cookie in. 

Coat on each side and set aside. Then try not to eat them all. You're gonna love em.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
2. Place the pecans and 1/4 c of the powdered sugar into a food processor or blender and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Set the pecan mixture aside.
3. Place the softened butter and 3/4 c of powdered sugar into a bowl. Beat on medium/high speed until fluffy using a hand held or stand up electric mixer. Add the almond and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined.
4. Turn the speed down to low and add the flour, salt, and pecan mixture. Beat until the mixture comes together.
5. Pinch the dough out of the bowl and roll into 1 in balls. Place on the lined baking sheet and space 2 in apart. Use a drinking glass to slightly press down on each cookie.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan half way through the baking time.
7. Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them in the remaining 1 c of powdered sugar.

Suggestions:

• Eat one plain while they are still warm from the oven. They are so tasty!

*PS: Katie creates her own jewelry and lots of other neat things- go check out her Etsy shop!!