We created the best Russian Tea Cakes recipe made with browned butter, toasted pecans and maple syrup, and then double rolled in powdered sugar.
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Russian Tea Cakes
Russian tea cakes, also known as Mexican wedding cookies or snowballs, are a delicious and popular holiday treat. Made with butter, flour, sugar and chopped pecans or walnuts, they are rolled into balls and covered in powdered sugar before being served. The rich, nutty flavor of the Russian tea cakes pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the powdered sugar, making it a favorite for many around the holidays.
Russian tea cakes have a long history, rooted in the religious traditions of Eastern Europe. Russian tea cakes, now also known as snowball cookies, are buttery, tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that were brought to the United States from Europe in the early 20th century. The cookies originated in Russia and were brought to the United States by immigrants who settled in the Midwest. They first became popular after World War II, and were considered a special treat at holiday gatherings. To this day, Russian tea cakes remain a holiday tradition for many families. They have become popular around Christmas time, where their delicate flavor and festive appearance add to the joy of the season. People enjoy baking and decorating these classic treats with their family, taking part in the beloved tradition that has been passed down through generations. To this day, many families in Russia still enjoy this treat during important holidays and festive occasions such as Christmas and Easter. In addition, Russian tea cakes are often served after wedding ceremonies in Mexico, giving them the name “Mexican Wedding Cookies.” No matter what you call them, these cookies are sure to bring joy to any gathering.
The Family Tradition of Making Russian Tea Cakes
We have a family tradition of making Russian Tea Cakes for special occasions, except we call them Finnish cookies. There are a number of similar cookies, such as Snowballs, Mexican wedding cookies, and in our house Finnish cookies. Tony’s mother is half Finnish and she remembers her Finnish Grandmother making them when she was a child, so she has always called them Finnish cookies. Over the years we have made a few changes to her Grandmother’s version, though. This version is made with pecans and maple syrup, ingredients that are native to America, so we should probably call them American snowball cookies at this point, but we are not going to mess with tradition that much.
Making the Best Russian Tea Cakes
The key to making the best Russian tea cakes is to use the best ingredients and the best method. The ingredients and method are described below in the science section. Russian tea cakes are made using the batter method where the sugar and butter are first creamed together before the flour and other ingredients are added. All the information you need to make the best cookies is included in the recipe, but you can read through the science section to know why it works.
We made a number of changes to the traditional recipe. We wanted to give the cookies more flavor and better texture. The traditional family recipe made a cookie that was dry and crumbly inside and not very sweet. We fixed that by adding some moisture to activate the gluten in the flour, using ground nuts to add moisture and then rolling them in powdered sugar twice to make them sweeter.
The nuts were toasted, the butter was browned, the vanilla was doubled, maple syrup was added, and the sugar was homemade superfine sugar to give the cookies a sweetness without the pasty texture of powdered sugar. Each of these changes added a little more flavor. This recipe is much easier if the sugar is ground, the butter is browned (beurre noisette), and the nuts are toasted ahead of time. We do all of this ahead and have a supply on hand in the pantry or refrigerator.
These cookies are known for being crumbly because of the amount of nuts in them and because the only water in the recipe is from the butter. By browning the butter, we have removed the small amount of water that was in the butter. By adding the maple sugar, we are adding back some water. The maple sugar is added to the flour and the flour is allowed to sit for five minutes in order to activate the gluten in the flour so the cookies are not too crumbly. The maple sugar also adds some extra flavor and sweetness to the cookies.
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RECIPE
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Ingredients
- 250 grams Gold Medal unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 220 grams Terrasoul pecans toasted
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 227 grams Horizon unsalted butter browned and cooled
- 60 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar ground superfine
- 2 teaspoons Heilala alcohol free vanilla extract
- 2 cups Wholesome powdered sugar
Instructions
- Allow the ingredients to come to room temperature (about 65 degrees). This may take about an hour.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. This may take about half an hour.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Measure the flour into a bowl.
- Sprinkle the maple syrup over the top of the flour and stir.
- Add the salt to the flour mixture.
- Using the food processor, finely grind half the pecans, stopping before they start to clump. Do not over process the nuts or they will become nut butter. Add the ground pecans to the flour mixture.
- Using the food processor, coarsely chop the rest of the pecans. Add the chopped pecans to the flour mixture and stir the flour and nuts together.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle, soften the butter by beating it on medium for about a minute. Do not let the temperature of the butter exceed 68 degrees F.
- Add the sugar and cream the butter and sugar on medium for about three minutes, until the mixture is light colored and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla, mixing just until the vanilla is incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low just until mixed, about 30 seconds. Do not overwork the dough. Scraping down the sides and mix in any remaining flour by hand.
- Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place on the baking sheet about two inches apart.
- Bake until they are set, but not browning, about 20 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a minute on the baking sheet.
- Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and carefully roll each cookie, one at a time, in the powdered sugar to coat it and then place it on a rack to cool.
- When the cookies have cooled, reroll each cookie in the powdered sugar and then give them a final dusting of powdered sugar by sifting some over the top of the cookies.
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
True to The Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe combines the best seasonal ingredients and quality brands with homemade methods to maximize both flavor and sustainability. It was inspired by our travels and works well as a holiday recipe.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography
Recipes created by Lisa LeCoump — Food Photographer, Agricultural Expert, and Home Baker. Sharing master recipes, chef secrets, and sustainable baking for every kitchen. Featured on various publications.