12/19/13

Snowball Cookies

A tender melt-in-your-mouth pecan shortbread cookie recipe (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes) perfect for holiday baking!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
  2. WHY ARE THESE CALLED MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES AND RUSSIAN TEA CAKES?

These are my all-time favorite cookies! EVER! And that kinda blows my mind because you’d think my all-time favorite cookies would have some chocolate in them somewhere. But nope. These are in the #1 spot.

They literally MELT in your mouth.

Snowball Cookies! A tender melt-in-your-mouth pecan shortbread cookie recipe (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes) perfect for holiday baking!

I can remember going to Aunt Teeny's house at Christmas and heading STRAIGHT for these cookies (then to the Sausage Balls) and being blissfully satisfied.

Aunt Teeny was actually my dad's aunt but I loved going to her house because A) her granddaughter was one of my favorite cousin's and she was always there too and B) she had a hair salon built in to her garage so we would play and play and PLAY in her swivel chairs and with all the fantastical stuff like hot rollers and industrial strength Aqua Net. 

Snowball Cookies! A tender melt-in-your-mouth pecan shortbread cookie recipe (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes) perfect for holiday baking!

WHY ARE SNOWBALL COOKIES CALLED MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES AND RUSSIAN TEA CAKES?

There is no definitive answer to this question but the theory that pops up more than others (and that makes sense to me) is that they were most commonly called Russian Tea Cakes until the Cold War then folks didn't like the communist moniker and started calling them wedding cookies which then morphed into Mexican Wedding Cookies. They're all the same cookies except that you will often find walnuts used in Russian Tea cake recipes instead of pecans.

Recipe for Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies
Yield: 24 Cookies
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
A tender melt-in-your-mouth pecan shortbread cookie recipe (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes) perfect for holiday baking!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup REAL butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • Additional powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth and creamy. Slowly add flour then pecans and mix until combined.
  3. Roll into 1-inch balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 275 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cookies just start to brown on the bottom.
  4. Remove cookies from oven. Cool 5 minutes then roll in additional powdered sugar. Once cool, store in an airtight container.
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cookies
american
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20 comments:

  1. I am DELIGHTED to find a kindred spirit! I adore these cookies and I'm a huge tea lover. I will try these this weekend. My Mom used to bake them at Christmas when I was growing up. Sweet memories! Thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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    Replies
    1. Merry Christmas to you too!

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    2. I make something similar to these but I add a few choc chips and I cut up maraschino cherries and add. They look the same! I know mine are a huge hit at Christmas parties and I'm sure these would be too

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  2. love these cookies. these are one of the cookies I make every year at Christmas time. the only bad thing is nobody gets any. love having these with a cup of coffee.

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  3. These look delicious! =)
    Im new to your blog, its very pretty!

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  4. I love these cookies....thank you so much ...Merry Christmas to you and yours....

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  5. They are my favorite too. You see, you can be walking by and they talk to you - so you pop one in your mouth and unless you have powdered sugar around your mouth the evidence (ahem cookie) is gone. Marisa

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  6. Thank You.... I just love these cookies... HAPPY HOLIDAYS to YOU and YOURS....

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  7. I'm a Mississippi girl and I love hot tea, too. But I also love iced tea...the sweeter the better!!! All that to say, I think we're okay. :-)

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  8. How funny! These are my favorite Christmas cookies, too! Even with no chocolate in sight.

    I just discovered your blog by way of a comment that was left on my blog - it's just beautiful!

    Merry Christmas!

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    Replies
    1. How funny! I'm headed your way now...

      Merry Christmas to you too!

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  9. Hi Mandy! I'm so glad I stumbled upon your site. I love these cookies and hot tea. I'm from AL and the first time I ever had hot tea was at a bridal shower in Foley. It was delish! I was told that hot tea is a southern thang so you are safe. :)

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  10. Ooh, I'm making these soon. You've sold me on trying them as I am a chocoholic and am hesitant to bake cookies unless they obtain chocolate. Not only are your recipes divine, but you always provide a good laugh. I'm so glad I found your site ! Keep up the good work as I've shared you with all my friends and they love you too.

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  11. My mom made this when I was growing up, then they became one of my traditional Christmas cookies. I make 2 double recipes - I am making them next week as a belated holiday gift for a friend who will be visiting here in SC, as they would not mail well back to Ohio. My friend is EXPECTING them. Oh so yummy -

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  12. These look wonderful and NOT difficult to make. One quick question - would it be okay to use parchment paper on the cookie sheet or am I better off going with it being ungreased that you say to use in the recipe? Just thinking about clean-up. 😊

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    Replies
    1. You can never go wrong with parchment! :)

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  13. المجالس من اكثر الاماكن التى لابد من القيام باعمال التنظيف على اعلى مستوى فالمجالس من اكثر الاماكن التى تتعرض الى الاتساخ والبقع والكثير من التغيرات التى تحدث نتيجة الاتربة فاذا اراد ان تقوم باعمال التنظيف والتلميع والتعطير فى القيام باعمال التنظيف فعليك ان تتعاون مع اكبر شركة تنظيف مجالس بالمملكة العربيه السعودية فنحن نعتمد على افضل الخدمات المميزة فى اقل وقت ممكن بالاضافة الى ان الشركة تعتمد على افضل الاجهزة والالات والمعدات المجهزة التى تساعد فى القيام باعمال التنظيف على اعلى مستوى بالاضافة الى اننا نعتمد على افضل الايدى العامله المميزة المتواجدة التى تساعد فى القيام باعمال التنظيف والوصول افضل النتائج المميزة فاذا اراد ان تقوم بكل ما تتمناه فعليك التواصل والتعاون معنا على الفور للقيام بكل ذلك
    تعتبر تنظيف وغسيل المجالس من الاشياء التى ينظر اليها الكثير من عملاءنا الكرام على انها من الاشياء التى تحتاج الى الكثير من الاشياء من اجل ان يتم الوصول الى افضل الخدمات فاذا اراد ان تقوم بكل ذلك فعليك ان تتواصل مع شركة بسمة الرياض افضل شركة تنظيف مجالس بالرياض على افضل ما يرام .

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Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy