Russian Tea Cakes/Mexican Wedding Cookies

These buttery, crumbly cookies go by many names: Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cookies, snowballs, polvorones. Whatever you call them, the technique is the same. Rich butter dough studded with finely chopped almonds gets rolled into balls, baked low and slow until barely golden, and then packed generously in powdered sugar while still warm.

The low oven temperature is what makes these cookies special. Baking at 275°F (135°C) for 45 minutes dries the dough gently instead of browning it aggressively. That slow bake creates the signature sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that falls apart the moment it hits your tongue. Higher heat would give you a regular cookie. Low heat gives you a tea cake.

The powdered sugar coating is a two-step process. You roll the lukewarm cookies in sugar first, then pack more sugar onto every surface to about ⅛ inch thick. The warmth of the cookie melts a thin layer of sugar against the surface, which then acts as glue for the outer coating. Cool cookies won’t hold the sugar the same way.

Pro Tips

• Beat the butter until truly light and fluffy before adding anything else. Properly creamed butter is what gives these their tender crumb.
• Chop the almonds very fine. Large pieces will poke through the dough and break the smooth, round shape.
• Don’t overbake. You want “very lightly browned," not golden. These cookies should look almost pale when they come out.
• Store in airtight containers layered between wax paper. The sugar coating absorbs moisture quickly, and humid air will make them sticky.

Variations

• Use pecans or walnuts instead of almonds for a different nut flavor.
• Add the zest of one lemon or orange to the dough for a subtle citrus note under the powdered sugar.
• Replace the vanilla with almond extract for an even nuttier, more pronounced flavor.