These Mexican wedding cookies just scream Christmas to me. When I sift the powdered sugar over them it looks like snow and really gets me in the Christmas spirit. They are so simple to make, and I love the buttery taste combined with the toasted nuts. I’m not Christian and technically don’t “celebrate” Christmas. But I love everything that comes with Christmas: the holiday decorations, the beautiful lights, and the FOOD. More specifically, the baking. It’s the time for heaps of cookies and lots of chocolate. I think I’m half cookie the whole month of December.
Tips for making the best Mexican wedding cookies
Toast your nuts! Don’t skip this step. The toasted nuts will bring out their nuttiness and make the flavor much more strong. The nuts don’t toast once they’re in the dough.
Be sure to fully cream your butter and sugar. Creaming creates air pockets in the dough will also prevent your cookies from spreading. Cream for about two minutes using an electric mixer on medium speed.
And finally, make sure you chill your dough. Chilling does two things: it allows the flour to full evenly absorb the moisture in the dough and it will prevent your cookies from spreading.
Happy baking! And if you need more Christmas cookie recipes:
- Hazelnut sandwich cookies
- Ginger spice cookies
- Mandel bread
- Pistachio slice and bake
- Jam thumbprints
- Chocolate hazelnut mandel bread
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (85g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Heat a dry skillet on medium heat. Toast the nuts for about 5-8 minutes, or until they smell nutty. Remove nuts from pan so they don’t burn. Finely chop the nuts.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
- Switching the mixer to low, add the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the crushed nuts.
- Chill the dough for two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. You may need to leave the dough on the counter for 15 minutes if it’s to stiff. Scoop dough into tablespoon sized balls. Place on lined baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, coat in powdered sugar.