Russian tea cakes, also known as Mexican wedding cookies or butterballs, are a classic holiday treat that delights people of all ages. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are characterized by their delicate flavor, crumbly texture, and dusting of powdered sugar. With their simple ingredients and straightforward preparation, Russian tea cakes are a perfect choice for novice and experienced bakers alike. Whether you're looking to impress your friends and family with a homemade dessert or simply want to indulge in a nostalgic treat, this article will guide you through the steps to create the perfect Russian tea cakes.
Here are our top 20 tried and tested recipes!
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES I
This is a family recipe that's been made at Christmas time by at least 4 generations. This year will be the first for number 5!!! 'Bubba' brought it with her when she came from Lithuania. I pass it on in the true spirit of this season!
Provided by THEAUNT708
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Eastern European Russian
Time 35m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 101.6 calories, Carbohydrate 8.2 g, Cholesterol 13.6 mg, Fat 7.3 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 1.3 g, SaturatedFat 3.4 g, Sodium 36.6 mg, Sugar 2.5 g
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
There's no feeling quite as blissful as your first bite of one of these cookies. Whether you call them Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies or snowballs, there's no denying that they're essential to bake during the Christmas season. A shortbread-like dough, studded with chopped nuts, bakes up to a texture that's beautifully sandy and tender, never dry or crumbling to bits. The classic finish for them is a roll through powdered sugar-just like dashing through the winter snow! Make this recipe and you'll be part of a legacy of bakers who have made Russian Tea Cakes one of the most anticipated treats of the season.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 1h15m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 75, Carbohydrate 6 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 55 mg
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
I like to present my favorite holiday cookies in a special way. I pile these fresh-baked tea cakes on pretty plates that I buy throughout the year, then wrap them with colored cellophane to give friends. —Valerie Hudson, Mason City, Iowa
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 35m
Yield about 3-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-13 minutes. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm. Cool on wire racks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 83 calories, Fat 6g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 49mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Rolling these classic Christmas cookies in powdered sugar once while they're still warm and again when they're completely cooled ensures their snowball-like appearance.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Time 1h20m
Yield Makes 4 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in the upper and lower third positions.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and almond liqueur until fully combined. Add flour mixture; beat until combined.
- Using 1 rounded teaspoon of dough per cookie, roll into balls with the palms of your hands; place onto two parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies are set and just turning golden around the edges, about 16 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool slightly on baking sheets, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add remaining 1 cup sugar to a medium bowl. When cool enough to handle, roll a few cookies at a time in the bowl of sugar to coat. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Roll cookies in sugar again until thoroughly coated. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
CHEF JOHN'S RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
As the old joke goes, these Russian tea cakes might not be Russian, but at least they're not cakes. No one knows exactly how these came to be known as Russian tea cakes but, nevertheless, they are quite delicious.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Desserts Cookies Butter Cookie Recipes Tea Cakes and Biscuits Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 14
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange rack in center position of oven.
- Place butter, 1/3 cup packed powdered sugar, walnuts, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Top with the flour. Mix with your clean hands until the dough starts to clump up. Keep mixing by hand until all the flour and clumps of butter are evenly mixed into the dough and it can be easily formed into balls.
- Scoop out dough and roll by hand into uniformly round balls, just slightly larger than 1 inch. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden, 15 to 25 minutes depending on the size of the cookies.
- Let cool exactly 5 minutes then roll in remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Let cookies cool completely and toss them again in the confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 320.7 calories, Carbohydrate 36.1 g, Cholesterol 34.9 mg, Fat 18.8 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 3.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.9 g, Sodium 23.3 mg, Sugar 20.4 g
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Provided by Anne Thornton, Host of Dessert First
Categories dessert
Time 50m
Yield 6 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large bowl mix together the cookie dough and the pecans. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Form 1-inch balls from the chilled dough and place them 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake until the edges of the cookies start to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling, line another cookie sheet with wax paper. Sprinkle 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar on the bottom of the sheet and place the slightly cooled cookies on top of the sugar. Place the remaining 1 cup of confectioners' sugar in a passe or fine sieve and then sprinkle over the tops of the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with sugar until fluffy and light. Mix in the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Turn down the mixer and slowly add the flour mixture, a third at a time to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Use 2 pieces to make cut out cookies, and the other half for the Russian Tea Cakes.
- For the cut out cookies: On a lightly floured surface roll out a portion of cookie dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cookies on lightly greased or nonstick cookie sheets. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through the cooking time. Cool on pans about 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
WEDDING COOKIES (SNOWBALLS, RUSSIAN TEA CAKES)
POPULAR cookies at parties, weddings or on a cookie tray. They melt in your mouth! Very impressive and addictive! I have been making these cookies for 45 years. These are also the same cookies that our dear "Meme" calls butter balls. Yield is approximate as it depends on how large you form each cookie. I have never known anyone to not like this cookie! I have always used real butter for this recipe.
Provided by Seasoned Cook
Categories Dessert
Time 27m
Yield 30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Blend softened butter with powdered sugar. Add vanilla.
- Mix in salt, baking powder, flour and chopped pecans.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls or flattened cookies and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12 minutes, until firm but not brown. While hot roll in powdered sugar. Let cool and roll again in powdered sugar.
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES III
Lovely little cookies that are perfect for formal parties.
Provided by Emma Radovich
Categories Desserts Cookies Butter Cookie Recipes Tea Cakes and Biscuits Recipes
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Combine all ingredients, mix well.
- Refrigerate dough until chilled.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven.
- Once baked, roll while still hot in confectioners' sugar until coated. Let cool. Lightly dust with more confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 151.1 calories, Carbohydrate 13.6 g, Cholesterol 20.3 mg, Fat 10.2 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 1.8 g, SaturatedFat 5.1 g, Sodium 79.1 mg, Sugar 4.2 g
CHOCOLATE-FILLED RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Chocolate stars are the sweet surprise inside tender, bite-sized cookies coated with powdered sugar.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 2h30m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla with electric mixture on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, salt and walnuts.
- For each cookie, shape scant measuring tablespoonfuls dough around chocolate star to make 1-inch ball; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set and bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix sugar coating ingredients.
- Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; roll in sugar coating. Cool completely on cooling racks, about 30 minutes. Roll in sugar coating again.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 100, Carbohydrate 11 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 45 mg, Sugar 6 g, TransFat 0 g
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
An easy Russian Tea Cakes recipe
Categories Cookies Mixer Nut Dessert Quick & Easy Hazelnut Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes about 3 1/2 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Sift flour and salt together. Using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl until light. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients in 3 batches. Mix in hazelnuts. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Space 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until just firm to touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again. Store in airtight container.
PECAN PUFFS (AKA MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES OR RUSSIAN TEA CAKES)
One of our family favorite cookies for the holidays-- these are sooo melt-in-your-mouth delicious! These cookies go by many different names. If you desire, you may sub walnuts or hazelnuts for the pecans. I hope you enjoy!!!
Provided by BecR2400
Categories Dessert
Time 1h
Yield 4 dozen cookies
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cream butter, add sugar and remaining ingredients.
- Roll into small balls, and place on cookie sheet.
- Bake in 325 F oven for 30 minutes.
- Roll balls into powdered sugar when hot, and again when cool.
- Note: These cookies taste best when thoroughly cooled (ie best served the next day--if you can wait!).
BUTTERY RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Make and share this Buttery Russian Tea Cakes recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Lavender Lynn
Categories Dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 48 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Mix margarine, 1/2 C powdered sugar, and the vanilla.
- Stir in flour, salt, and nuts.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake until set, but not brown, 8 to 9 minutes.
- Roll in powdered sugar while warm; cool.
- Roll in powdered sugar again.
SECRET KISS COOKIES/RUSSIAN TEA CAKES WITH A TWIST
Nana Devine made her Pecan Balls as she called them since I couldnt pronounce the polish word she used lol...my mother in law called them russian tea cakes and I have seen them listed as Mexican wedding cakes too. The recipes all seem basically the same, maybe a tad more of this or a bit less of that. My favorite way to eat them...
Provided by Deneece Gursky
Categories Chocolate
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- 1. Beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.
- 2. Add flour and walnuts and beat on low speed of mixer until well blended.
- 3. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to handle.
- 4. Heat oven to 375°F.
- 5. Shape about 1 tablespoon of dough around each hersheys kiss and roll to make ball. (Make sure chocolate is completely covered) Put cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
- 6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.
- 7. Cool slightly. While cookies are still slightly warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Cool completely. (I roll mine again after cooled)
- 8. If you prefer you can mix together cocoa and powdered sugar and roll them in that.
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES WITH CHOCOLATE
Make and share this Russian Tea Cakes With Chocolate recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Pamela
Categories Dessert
Time 27m
Yield 3 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cream buter and sugar. Add vanilla.
- Gradually beat in flour (and nuts).
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Shape into balls.
- Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden on the bottoms.
- Cool and drizzle with remaining melted chocolate chips.
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES II
Enjoy ... these are wonderful! I like to use almonds, but you can experiment with other nuts, if you like.
Provided by Michelle
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Eastern European Russian
Yield 18
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the yolk, cream and vanilla. Beat well. Add the nuts, flour and baking powder.
- Chill the dough for about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- Mold dough into little round balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 12 minutes.
- As you take the balls off of the cookies sheet, drop them into a bowl of confectioner's sugar. Roll them around until they are completely covered. Remove and cool on a rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 105.8 calories, Carbohydrate 13.6 g, Cholesterol 22.7 mg, Fat 5.4 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 1.3 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 55.3 mg, Sugar 7.9 g
GLUTEN-FREE RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
These buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookie balls go by many names in recipe collections, including Mexican Wedding Cakes. They always contain finely chopped nuts and are twice rolled in powdered sugar. This holiday favorite is one of Betty's Best!
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 1h25m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, the vanilla and egg. Stir in Bisquick™ mix and nuts until dough holds together.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 1 inch apart.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool slightly.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; place on cooling racks to cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar again.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 80, Carbohydrate 9 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 2 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 95 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 0 g
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
These elegant little cookies are a popular treat in Russia at the holidays. It's funny- I grew up having these at Christmas and had no idea that these holiday cookies originated in Russia! They are delicious- whether at Christmas or any other time of the year!
Provided by Sommer Clary
Categories Dessert
Time 42m
Yield 18-20 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mix the butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Sift in the flour and the salt, stirring until combined (it will be sticky). Mix in the nuts. Place the dough on some plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet (cookies don't spread). Bake 10-12 minutes, or until set but not brown. While still warm, roll in the remaining powdered sugar. Set aside to cool, and then roll them one more time in the sugar before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 219.1, Fat 13.6, SaturatedFat 6.8, Cholesterol 27.1, Sodium 34.3, Carbohydrate 22.6, Fiber 0.8, Sugar 10, Protein 2.5
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES (NO NUTS)
These are bite-size shortbread-type cookies that are so simple and so popular. They're frequently the first cookie people will eat from my Christmas cookie tray. My mom made these every year for Christmas. She'd roll the dough into balls and we got to dunk the tops in green or red sugar crystals. Now I get to continue the tradition with my sons. My sister makes these for other holidays as well and changes the sugar color accordingly. The recipe is my mom's variation on the recipe from the old Betty Crocker "Cooky Book."
Provided by ShaGun
Categories Drop Cookies
Time 20m
Yield 48 cookies, 48 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla or almond extract throughly. Mix in flour and salt.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and dip the tops in the colored sugar crystals. Place on greased baking sheet. (Cookies don't spread.) Bake 10 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool.
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
There's no feeling quite as blissful as your first bite of one of these cookies. Whether you call them Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies or snowballs, there's no denying that they're essential to bake during the Christmas season. A shortbread-like dough, studded with chopped nuts, bakes up to a texture that's beautifully sandy and tender, never dry or crumbling to bits. The classic finish for them is a roll through powdered sugar-just like dashing through the winter snow! Make this recipe and you'll be part of a legacy of bakers who have made Russian Tea Cakes one of the most anticipated treats of the season.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 1h15m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 75, Carbohydrate 6 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 55 mg
RUSSIAN TEA CAKES
Everyone has tried a version of these cookies during the holiday season. Inhaling powdered sugar while devouring this yummy treat is fun (and a little messy). These are light, buttery, and crunchy. The cookie itself isn't overly sweet but the powdered sugar coating is just the right touch. Adding chopped pecans gives the cookie...
Provided by Sea Sun
Categories Cookies
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- 2. Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla.
- 3. Gradually add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
- 4. Sift the flour. Measure, then sift again with the salt. Add gradually to the butter mixture.
- 5. Add the pecans and mix well.
- 6. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- 7. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.
- 8. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets. After 5 minutes, roll in powdered sugar while still hot.
- 9. Cool completely and roll again in powdered sugar before serving.
- 10. Store in covered container.
Tips for Making Russian Tea Cakes:
- Chilling the dough before rolling and cutting helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Rolling the dough thinly will result in crispier cookies.
- Using a sharp knife to cut the cookies will help to prevent them from becoming ragged.
- Baking the cookies until they are just golden brown will help to prevent them from becoming dry.
- Storing the cookies in an airtight container will help to keep them fresh for up to a week.
- Sprinkling the cookies with powdered sugar before serving adds a festive touch.
Conclusion:
Russian tea cakes are a delicious and classic holiday cookie. With their delicate flavor and crispy texture, they are sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So gather your ingredients and give this recipe a try today!
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