mexican wedding cake party!

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Mexican Wedding Cakes are a Christmas tradition from my childhood. If you love butter & nuts, I made these just for you! They start with a crisp yet tender & delicate, shortbread-type butter cookie. Then you toss them in a blizzard of powdered sugar for a festive look & the perfect sweetness. I’ve ALWAYS loved these! I’ve seen them made with pecans, walnuts or almonds so use whatever nut is your favorite!


Baking these cookies today while listening to Christmas music kick started my Christmas Spirit! Being in the kitchen is where my joy begins & these cookies are a little bit magical just like Christmas should be. What puts you in the Christmas spirit?


Mexican Wedding Cakes

Yield: makes about 3 1/2 dozen

ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans, I toasted mine at 350 for 5-7 minutes

directions

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla & mix. Add flour & mix. Add pecans & mix. Set aside additional 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar.

2. Divide dough in half & form each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic wrap & put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to chill. This will insure that your cookies don't spread & flatten when baked.


3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape into 1 inch balls. Dough will be firm & slightly crumbly. Place on ungreased baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. (even when recipes say ungreased I still give it a tiny spritz with Pam cooking spray.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown on the bottom. They will still be somewhat pale on top. Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Gently roll the warm (not hot) cookies in the remaining powdered sugar and place coated cookies on a rack to cool completely.

4. Repeat step 3 with remaining half of dough. After cookies are completely cooled, roll them in the powdered sugar again.