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Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe – Buttery, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Snowball Cookies

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Mexican Wedding Cookies are delicate, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies filled with finely chopped pecans and coated in powdered sugar. These classic snowball cookies are perfect for Christmas, weddings, holiday cookie trays, or enjoying with a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until light, smooth, and creamy.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and sea salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
  6. Fold in the finely chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  7. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into small balls using your hands.
  8. Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 1 inch between each cookie.
  9. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the cookies are set. The tops should remain pale.
  10. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for approximately 5 minutes.
  11. While the cookies are still slightly warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar until completely coated.
  12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
  13. For a thicker snowy coating, roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar a second time.
  14. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to enjoy.

Notes

  • Use softened unsalted butter for the best tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Finely chop the pecans so they distribute evenly throughout the dough and help the cookies hold their shape.
  • Walnuts can be substituted for pecans if preferred.
  • For extra nutty flavor, lightly toast the pecans before chopping and adding them to the dough. Allow them to cool completely first.
  • Measure the flour carefully to avoid dry or crumbly cookies.
  • Do not overmix the dough after adding the flour, as this can make the cookies tough.
  • If the dough feels too soft to roll, refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes before shaping.
  • Do not overbake. Mexican wedding cookies should remain pale on top with lightly golden bottoms.
  • Handle warm cookies gently because they are delicate and can crumble before cooling completely.
  • Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar while slightly warm helps the first coating adhere.
  • For the classic snowball appearance, apply a second coating of powdered sugar after the cookies have cooled.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze baked cookies without their final powdered sugar coating for up to 3 months. Thaw and roll in fresh powdered sugar before serving.
  • These cookies are also known as Mexican wedding cakes, snowball cookies, and Russian tea cakes.
  • Nutrition information is an approximate estimate per cookie.

Nutrition

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