Mexican wedding cookies are the simplest cookie recipe for the season. All you need is flour, butter, sugar, and nuts to make these utterly, buttery Christmas snowball cookies in less than 20 mins!
These cookies are a perfect addition to holiday gift packages or cookie platters. They have a generous shelf life and are loaded with tender, crumbly, almost shortbread cookie-like texture. And because they are dusted with heaps of icing sugar (which is why we also call them snowballs), they are pretty as a picture!
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Why Do They Call Them Mexican Wedding Cookies?
These crumbly, nutty cookies are a staple in Mexican culture and are traditionally made at weddings and festive occasions. Mexican wedding cookies in Spanish are known as polvorones. But they go by many names - snowballs, Russian tea cakes, and even butterballs. You and I can debate their origin till we are blue in the face, but it won’t change the fact that they are danged delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Great for gifting.
Simple ingredients mix to make a melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, nutty flavor that’s irresistible.
You can use your favorite nuts and spices to customize the recipe!
Festive enough for holidays AND easy to whip up for a cozy snack anytime.
Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour is the best choice for any cookie recipe.
Butter: The cookies don’t use eggs to bind the dough. Butter binds them and helps hold shape. Make sure it is room temperature, so the cookies don’t spread while being baked.
Sugar: Icing sugar works like a charm. Don’t use granulated sugar for this snowball cookie recipe.
Milk: A small splash makes the best melt-in-your-mouth Mexican wedding cookie with a delicate consistency and not a chewy feel. It is optional, though.
Variations
Spices: Something that has so many different names is bound to have endless versions. I stuck to the original recipe and didn’t add any spices. Add a pinch of cinnamon to make Danish wedding cookies. Nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom are also great choices. Or you can go completely festive and use all the spices I add to my ever-popular chocolate gingerbread cookies.
Nuts: Traditionally, the recipe has pecans. I didn’t have any, so I used walnuts. Use any nuts you have lying around—almonds, cashews, macadamias.
How To Make Mexican Wedding Cookies?
Step 1: Set the oven to preheat and cover the baking tray with Silpat or parchment paper.
Step 2: Grind nuts and icing sugar in a processor till you have a fine powder.
Step 3: Beat butter in a large bowl till nice and fluffy. Add homemade vanilla extract and the walnut-sugar powder.
Step 4: Add flour to this mixture to form cookie dough. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of milk.
Step 5: Shape the firm dough into balls.
Step 6: Bake the Mexican wedding cake cookies for 17 to 18 minutes until they are golden brown.
Step 7: Let them cool for a few minutes.
Step 8: Roll them in icing sugar and then cool completely.
Final step: Serve and savor!
Pro Tips
- Mexican wedding cookies are light and don’t sit heavy because of their buttery texture. The trick is to keep the butter slightly softened. It can’t be melted or chilled.
- If your dough feels too soft or sticky because the butter is almost melting, refrigerate it.
- When you first roll the cookies in icing sugar (while they are still warm), they may absorb it. Give them another roll in the powdered sugar after they’ve cooled completely. The cookie dough is barely sweetened, so the double dusting of icing sugar balances the taste. Plus, it makes them just stunning!
- If you’re baking where the weather is hot or warm, pop the butter, the dough, and if needed, the shaped balls in the fridge for a few minutes.
Recipe FAQs
As I said, pecans were used for the real deal. But walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, or almonds work equally well.
I haven’t tried the Mexican wedding cookies recipe with buckwheat flour. I baked Linzer cookies and gluten-free waffle cookies, and it hasn’t failed me till now. So, go ahead and try these snowball cookies with it. Just increase the amount of butter, as buckwheat flour absorbs more moisture. You can even add a couple of teaspoons of milk to get the right consistency.
I’m not sure if coconut oil will do the trick here. I may make the cookies spread. But you can, for sure, use plant-based butter to make vegan Mexican wedding cookies.
They keep very well. So, you can store them in an airtight container for a long time. Even on day 12 (if your cookies last that long), the nuttiness will come through as much as on day 1.
Christmas Recipes
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love these Mexican wedding cookies as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Quinoa flour
- 1 cup Walnuts
- 2/3 cup Icing sugar
- 3/4 cup Butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp Milk Optional
- 1/4 cup Icing sugar, for sprinkling on cookies
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170C. Line a baking tray with Silpat or parchment paper.
- Begin by grinding walnuts and icing sugar into a fine powder in your processor.
- In a large bowl, beat butter till it’s fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and walnut - icing sugar powder.
- Stir in both the flours. Mix well.
- You may need to add some milk if the dough seems dryish.
- If the dough seems too soft, please refrigerate for a few minutes.Divide the dough into equal size pieces. Roll into balls.
- Place on the prepared tray and bake for 17-18 minutes, until light golden brown.
- Let cool for a few minutes then roll in icing sugar.
- Store the cooled cookies in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
Albertina says
I have never tried any Mexican recipe ever and this is the first time I am thinking to try it. I hope it will be good and everyone will love it. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Natasha Minocha says
This was one of my favorites this year! I hope you and your family will enjoy it as much as we did! Thank you so much! xx