Mexican Wedding Cookies
Buttery, delicate, and dusted with snowy sweetness, Mexican Wedding Cookies are more than just confections—they’re a quiet celebration of tradition and time.
Often shared at holidays, weddings, and family gatherings, these tender shortbread-like cookies melt in your mouth with the warmth of toasted pecans, a kiss of cinnamon, and fragrant notes of vanilla and almond.
Their powdered sugar coating gives them a festive elegance, but the real beauty lies in their simplicity—honest ingredients, lovingly prepared. One bite transports you to moments of nostalgia, hospitality, and joy.
Why People Will Love This Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe:
Melt-in-your-mouth texture: These cookies are incredibly tender and buttery, crumbling softly with each bite—perfectly delicate and satisfying.
Rich, nutty flavor from toasted pecans: Toasting the pecans deepens their flavor, adding warmth and subtle complexity to balance the sweetness.
Sweet without being overpowering: The powdered sugar coating gives a gentle sweetness, making them feel light rather than overly rich—ideal for savoring with coffee or tea.
Timeless and nostalgic: These cookies evoke tradition and celebration, often passed down through generations, bringing comfort and familiarity in every bite.
Elegant yet simple: Despite their minimal ingredients, the final result is refined and beautiful—proof that a few good elements, treated with care, can create something truly special.
Key Ingredients:
Pecans, toasted to perfection, are the heart of these cookies—adding a rich, nutty backbone that gives the delicate texture its subtle crunch and soul.
Unsalted butter, soft and creamy, is the foundation of the dough. It brings richness, body, and that melt-in-your-mouth quality that defines these cookies.
Powdered sugar does double duty—blending into the dough for a smooth, tender crumb, and coating the warm cookies in a snowy, nostalgic sweetness that clings lightly to your fingers.
Vanilla and almond extracts layer in deep, aromatic notes—one comforting and familiar, the other slightly floral and bold—creating a flavor profile that feels both elegant and warm.
Cinnamon, though used sparingly, adds a quiet warmth in the background—a gentle spice that rounds out the sweetness and echoes the cookie’s heritage.
Expert Tips:
Toast the pecans slowly and evenly: Take your time over low heat to coax out the oils and deepen the flavor. This single step elevates the entire cookie, giving it a rich, roasted essence that raw nuts simply can’t deliver.
Grind the pecans finely—but not to a paste: You want texture, not butter. Pulse in short bursts so the nuts stay dry and crumbly, which helps distribute their flavor evenly without weighing down the dough.
Use room-temperature butter for smooth creaming: Properly softened butter creates the light, airy structure you need for that signature melt-in-your-mouth bite. Cold butter will lead to dense, uneven cookies.
Chill the dough if it’s too soft: These cookies are delicate. If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels sticky, a quick 30-minute chill will make rolling easier and ensure the cookies hold their shape while baking.
Roll them in powdered sugar while still warm: The warmth helps the sugar cling and melt slightly into the surface, forming a gentle shell. Then, once fully cooled, roll them a second time for that classic, snowy finish.
How to make Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
1 heaping cup pecans
1¼ cups powdered sugar, divided
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove from heat and pulse in a food processor until finely ground, but not a paste.
Set up for coating: Place ¾ cup of the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside for rolling the warm cookies later.
Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cinnamon.
Cream the butter: In a stand mixer, beat the butter, remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing until well incorporated.
Add dry ingredients: Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined, then fold in the ground pecans until evenly distributed.
Shape the dough: Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll into smooth balls with your hands. If the dough is sticky, chill it for 30 minutes before rolling.
Bake the cookies: Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 13–16 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom. Avoid overbaking.
Coat while warm: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes, then gently roll each in the reserved powdered sugar while still warm.
Cool completely on a wire rack. For an extra-snowy finish, you can roll them in sugar a second time once fully cooled.
Important Notes When Making Mexican Wedding Cookies:
These cookies are as much about texture as flavor: Their delicate crumb and buttery mouthfeel come from the perfect balance of finely ground nuts, soft butter, and just the right touch of sugar. Handle the dough gently—this isn’t a cookie you knead, but one you nurture.
Every ingredient plays a quiet but essential role: Though subtle, the almond and vanilla extracts give the cookies depth and fragrance. Don’t skip or substitute them casually—they’re part of what makes the cookie feel traditional and special.
Don’t overbake them: These cookies aren’t meant to be golden on top. A lightly golden bottom is enough. Overbaking will dry them out and take away their signature tenderness.
Powdered sugar is more than decoration: It’s a defining element of the experience. Rolling while warm allows it to cling and slightly melt into the surface, while a second roll after cooling gives that soft, snowy coating everyone loves.
They taste even better the next day: Like many traditional cookies, a little time helps the flavors deepen and the texture settle. Store in an airtight container, and they’ll remain tender and perfect for days.
How To Enjoy Mexican Wedding Cookies After Cooking:
Let them cool fully before the second sugar roll
Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them in powdered sugar a second time. This final coat gives them that signature snowy finish and helps the outer layer stay light and velvety to the touch.
Serve with something warm and gentle
Pair with a cup of black tea, espresso, or warm milk. The subtle flavors of the cookie—nutty, buttery, fragrant—are best enjoyed with a calm, neutral beverage that doesn’t overpower.
Savor them slowly
These cookies aren’t meant to be rushed. Let them rest on your tongue, feel the way they dissolve gently, and enjoy the balance of buttery richness, toasted pecans, and the faint kiss of almond.
Share during meaningful moments
Whether at holidays, weddings, or quiet afternoons, these cookies are made for gathering. They’re nostalgic, comforting, and universally loved—perfect for gifting or setting out on a simple, beautiful plate.
Store properly for extended joy
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay tender for up to a week and taste just as lovely—sometimes even better—the next day as the flavors settle and deepen.
Nutrition Information
Per cookie for Mexican Wedding Cookies (based on a batch of about 36 cookies), formatted exactly as you requested:
Calories: 110 kcal | Total Fat: 8.8 g | Saturated Fat: 3.5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1 g | Cholesterol: 12 mg | Sodium: 45–60 mg (depending on salted or unsalted butter) | Total Carbohydrates: 8.6 g | Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g | Sugars: 3.4 g | Protein: 1.2 g
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use a different type of nut instead of pecans?
Yes, you can substitute with walnuts or almonds.
While pecans are traditional and offer a rich, buttery flavor, walnuts add a slightly earthier taste, and almonds give a more delicate crunch. Just be sure to toast and finely chop them, as you would with pecans.
Why do I need to roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice?
The first roll (while the cookies are warm) helps the sugar cling and slightly melt into the surface.
The second roll (after cooling) adds the soft, powdery coating that gives the cookies their iconic snowy appearance and gentle sweetness.
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
They’re ready when the bottoms are just lightly golden and the tops no longer look raw.
These cookies should remain pale on top—overbaking will dry them out and compromise their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.
Just bring it to room temperature for 10–15 minutes if it’s too firm to scoop and roll. You can also freeze the dough balls and bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Are Mexican Wedding Cookies the same as Russian Tea Cakes or Snowball Cookies?
Yes, they’re variations of the same cookie with regional names and small differences.
The core ingredients—nuts, butter, flour, and powdered sugar—remain consistent. What varies slightly is the nut choice and sometimes the addition of spices or extracts.
Why is it important to toast the pecans before adding them to the dough?
Toasting enhances the pecans’ natural oils, deepens their flavor, and adds complexity to the cookie.
This step takes just a few minutes but brings out a warm, nutty richness that raw pecans can’t deliver.
How finely should I grind the pecans?
You want a coarse meal—not a powder or paste.
Pulse the pecans just until they resemble coarse sand with small bits remaining. This allows the nuts to blend into the dough while still offering texture in every bite.
What should I do if the dough is too sticky to roll into balls?
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
This firms up the butter and makes the dough easier to handle. Chilled dough also helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
Can I use a hand mixer if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Yes, a hand mixer works fine—just cream the butter and sugar thoroughly until light and fluffy.
This aeration is key to achieving the cookie’s delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
How do I keep the powdered sugar coating from clumping or falling off?
Roll the cookies in powdered sugar while they’re still warm, then again after they’ve fully cooled.
The first coating melts slightly and creates a base layer, while the second gives the cookies their classic, soft finish.