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Perfect buttery easy Russian Tea Cakes – this nostalgic recipe is a huge hit and takes just a few simple ingredients!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Easy Russian Tea Cakes
Snowballs, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Kourabiedes, Russian Tea Cakes – these delicious buttery cookies have lots of names, and are loaded with classic holiday flavor, butter, sugar, nuts, and not much else. They are a simple, delicious classic cookie that are easy enough for even beginner bakers to make, and make for great gifts for Christmas cookie exchanges!
These are nostalgic favorites, and perfect for Christmas cookies, as gifts, for baby showers, wedding cookies, and more!
Russian Tea Cakes can be made with walnuts or pecans for a delicious flavor that isn’t too sweet, making them a favorite with the whole family!
These cookies have a bit of a murky history – with many tracing their roots to Arabic markets and the similar Greek Kourabiedes cookie recipe, which then spread throughout Eastern Europe. Many Europeans settling in Mexico brought the cookies with them as a tradition for weddings, lending the Mexican wedding cookie moniker to the treat!
How To Make Russian Tea Cakes
Making these cookies is super easy – in just a few steps.
- Mix cookies. Mix cookie dough together with softened butter. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
- Roll into circles. When cookie dough is mixed, roll into balls.
- Bake. Bake to lightly browned around the edges.
- Roll in sugar. Once baked and cooled, roll in powdered sugar. We roll twice for extra sugar!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, vanilla, 6 tbsp powdered sugar and cream together.
- Stir in flour and mix, then add in walnuts. Mix, but do not overwork.
- Roll dough into 2″ balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned on the sides.
- Remove from oven, let cool.
- Roll in powdered sugar before serving.
Tips To Perfect Russian Tea Cakes
Don’t overwork your cookie dough – this is a simple cookie, meant to be made for friends and family and isn’t one that requires a lot of technical skill. The cookies don’t need to be precisely mixed, and will be tough if they are mixed too much.
Don’t overcook cookies – cookies will be very dry if you bake them too long. Cookies will be lightly browned around the edges.
Cool cookie completely before rolling in powdered sugar. Rolling cookies when still warm melts sugar slightly and makes cookies sticky.
FAQs
If your dough is too try, you can loosen it with up to one tablespoon of milk.
These cookies last for up to one week when kept in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place.
Other Easy Christmas Cookies You’ll Love
If you’re looking for other fun and festive sweet treats this holiday season, we have you covered – we have lots of great Christmas ideas to make your holiday great!
Find some of our favorite recent posts like Easy Santa Strawberries Recipe, The Best Easy Sprinkle Cookies Recipe, Easy Iced Christmas Tree Shortbread Cookies, The Best Easy Candied Almonds Recipe, The Best Easy Chewy Sugar Cookies Ever Recipe, Chewy Molasses Cookies, and more, below:
Try these favorites:
You can find the rest of our Christmas cookies recipes here.
The Best Easy Russian Tea Cakes Recipe
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The Best Easy Russian Tea Cakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- ? cup powdered sugar, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, vanilla, 6 tbsp powdered sugar and cream together.
- Stir in flour and mix, then add in walnuts. Mix, but do not overwork.
- Roll dough into 2" balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned on the sides.
- Remove from oven, let cool.
- Roll in powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
