I remember fondly the first time I had these irresistible cookies. It was on a day that forever changed my life. It was on my wedding day over 31 years ago.
My husband’s mother said she was bringing cookies to our wedding reception. She told me serving cookies was a family tradition. Little did I know I would fall in love with her cookies too.
Russian Tea Cakes Cookie
Russian Tea Cakes are also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, Pecan Dreams, and Tea Cakes, which are easy to make, crunchy sugar-dusted nutballs that are not too sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
My husband’s mother is no longer with us, but I have all her favorite recipes in her family’s cookbook. You will be seeing more of her delicious recipes soon.
This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission.
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- Rovenko Family Cookbook
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- Russian Christmas Carol
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- Grandfather Rovenko from Russia
How to Make Russian Tea Cakes Recipe
Making these buttery cookies is so quick and easy. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry.
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- Two teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (plus more for topping the cookies)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Equipment Needed
- Stand Mixer with a bowl
- Sifter
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Sheet pan
- Silpat
- Cooling rack
- Cutting board and knife
Sift the flour and place it in a mixer bowl with sugar and butter, cream them together, and add vanilla.
Sift the flour
Chop nuts and mix into the butter and sugar mixture.
Chopped Nuts
Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Prepare the pan for cookies.
Measure out dough and roll dough into a ball using a cookie scoop.
Roll dough into a ball
Place dough balls on the cookie sheet about 1.5′ to 2″ apart. Place in a preheated 375-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The bottoms should be lighted brown. Place hot cookie sheets on a trivet.
Cookies ready for the oven
Pick up hot cookies with two spoons.
Use spoons to lift hot cookies.
Add Sugar Topping
Place the hot cookies in a bowl of confectioners sugar roll, then in the sugar to coat. Then place hot sugared cookies on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Roll hot cookies in confectioners sugar and return to wire cooling rack
Allowing the cookies to sit a few moments in the sugar
Cookies on a cooling rack
I after the cookies cooled added more confectioners sugar with one of these.
Russian Tea Cakes Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet
- Using a stand mixer with a large bowl cream together butter, sugar, and flour.
- Mix in chopped nuts.
- Using a cookie scoop to measure out cookies
- Roll them into a ball
- Place them on the baking sheet about 1.5" apart
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes
- Place about a cup of confectioners sugar in a bowl with low sides
- Place the hot pan on a trivet
- Remove hot cookies with two spoons and drop into confectioners sugar
- Roll the hot cookies in the sugar to coat and place them on a wire rack to cool completely
Equipment
Nutrition
When my children were little, I read this book about drinking tea. It is a fun book to read while sipping hot tea and eating tea cakes. Then, make your tea in a samovar for a special treat.
Tea and Cookies
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This recipe is one of my favorite cookies of all time Christmas Crack.
Christmas Crack
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Bon appétit,
Kippi
Becky
Thursday 16th of December 2021
So I followed the recipe and noticed that the batter was really dry...like super dry. Wouldn't even ball together no matter how many times I tried. Added another 1/2 cup of butter and it seemed to ball up better. In the oven so we will see how they turn out.
Tricia
Monday 6th of December 2021
How many should it make? 24?
ColleenB.-Tx.
Friday 1st of October 2021
In place of the nuts, I added 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Was thinking; like for Christmas, a person could add in some finely chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries.
ColleenB.~Tx.
Sunday 19th of September 2021
Golly Bum; I had forgotten all about these. When I was young; Me and my mother used to make these every year for Christmas but we called them Snowballs and rolled them twice in the powdered sugar. Will be making these for Christmas this year. Thanks for bringing back an old family memory
Pam
Thursday 26th of August 2021
P.S. I've featured this post today at Thursday Favorite Things. Congrats! :)