Mexican Wedding Cookies are rich, buttery, and crumbly cookies made from a mixture of nuts, flour, butter, and powdered sugar that melt in your mouth. This traditional Mexican recipe makes for an easy dessert perfect for weddings, Christmas, New Year’s, or any day of the year!
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Say hello to Mexican wedding cookies – one of my favorite cookies! I know that’s quite the statement, but one little bite and you’ll understand exactly why I’m head over heels in love.
What are Mexican Wedding Cookies?
Made with only a handful of simple ingredients like flour, powdered sugar, butter, and nuts, these little shortbread-like cookies are easy to make and have that luscious melt-in-your-mouth quality that will keep you coming back for more.
They’re traditionally served at weddings, during the holidays, and other special occasions.
Other names for Mexican Wedding Cookies
They’re known by many different names including:
- polvorones (in Spanish)
- snowball cookies
- Russian tea cakes
- butterballs
How to make Mexican wedding cookies
Step 1: Start by lightly toasting some pecans in the oven or on the stove until fragrant. Let them cool completely before blending them in a food processor with some all purpose flour until they’re finely ground.
Step 2: Make the cookie dough by beating together butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Then mix in the flour and salt until fully combined.
Step 3: Mix in the ground nut mixture and form the dough into a flattened disc shape. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 40 minutes.
Step 4: Form the chilled dough into 1-inch balls. I was able to make 26 cookies. Arrange them on 2 baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them for 12-15 minutes at 350°F.
Let them cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Once cooled, roll each cookie in remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat all sides.
Serve and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Don’t skip the step of chilling the dough. This will help the cookies stay in a little ball shape when baked in the oven instead of spreading and flattening out.
- Don’t rush the cooling process. The warmer the cookies are, the more the powdered sugar turns into a paste when you roll them around in it. Wait at least 30 minutes before you coat them in the confectioners’ sugar.
Make ahead
The cookie dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months until you’re ready to bake them.
Simply follow all of the instructions except don’t bake them. Place the balls in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 350°F from frozen.
Variations and Substitutions
- Nuts: All out of pecans? Try using a different nut like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios!
- Spices: Add a little bit of spice (no more than 1/2 teaspoon) to the powdered sugar to give an warmer flavor. Spices like cinnamon or nutmeg would work well.
- Chocolate: Want to make a chocolate version? Replace 1/3 cup of the flour with 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, then follow the rest of the instructions as written.
- Vegan: You can make this recipe vegan by using your favorite non-dairy butter or margarine.
More Dessert Recipes
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pecan halves
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 6-8 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. (Alternatively, you could toast the pecans in a medium skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.) Let them cool completely before using, about 15 minutes on the counter.
- Place the toasted pecans and 2 tablespoons of the flour into your food processor or blender and process until they are finely ground. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the remaining all-purpose flour and salt until fully combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the ground nuts, and beat on low speed until combined.
- Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten it into a medium disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until chilled. (Alternatively, you could put the dough in the freezer for 40 minutes to speed up the process.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and form it into 1-inch balls. I was able to make about 26 cookies.
- Place them in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Remove them from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
- Roll each cookie in the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat all sides. (The warmer the cookies, the more the powdered sugar turns into a paste, so don't rush the cooling process.)
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
- Don’t have pecans? Try using a different nut like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios!
- To make this vegan, use your favorite non-dairy butter or margarine.
- To make these ahead of time, follow all of the instructions and place the formed cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze. When you’re ready to bake them, place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in a 350F oven for 15 to 18 minutes.
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