Mexican Wedding Cookies
May 8, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Cookies, vintage recipes
Mexican Wedding Cakes are not cakes at all. They are somewhat like a short bread cookie but not. And sometimes they are called Mexican Wedding Cookies.
Are you confused?
They are a delicate cookie that has a delicate, yet definitely there flavor..vanilla, butter…nuts…
But where did Mexican Wedding Cakes come from?
The cookie got its name sometime in the early 1950’s and seemed to be one of the staple recipes of the plethora of cookbooks that were published during those decades. One theory suggests that the name was changed because the other name, Russian Tea Cakes, was a very unpopular one during the Cold War. I also have a recipe for them in an old cookbook that calls them Butterballs.
They can be crescent or ball shaped. If you roll them in the confectioners sugar while they are hot and then roll them again when they cool off the layer of confectioners sugar will be heavenly thick and sweet.
Around here alot of people serve them at teas and weddings. I love them..in fact I could probably eat a ton of them myself…once you get started it is really hard to stop.
I wanted to change my recipe around a little. Normally walnuts or pecans take center stage in these but I used pistachios. I really liked the unique flavor it gave them and the added richness from the pistachios. You can use any nut you like in the same proportions as these.
They are a very delicate cookie. If you have to have a certain amount make extra because some are bound to crumble..or find their way into someone’s mouth when you are not looking.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pistachios (I grind them in a blender)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla.
Add the flour and pistachios and mix until well blended.
Cover and chill for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Shape dough into balls or crescents. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from pan to cool on wire racks.
When cookies are cool, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Store in an airtight container.
About 3 dozen.
Image:Marye Audet
Content:BakingDelights
I love these cookies. They just melt in your mouth and have such a light taste. Mmm!
They sure do, Claire! ANd I really really liked the pistachio version.
These are something I definitely need to make!
*stars in google reader*
The tea photo is just gorgeous!
I think these are fabulous cookies. I make them with the pecans, but I am going to have to try them with pistachios after seeing these!
LOL, Carrie! I think you do.
Nicisme=they were very good with the pistachios..a little more delicate
Hi Marye, the cookies looks fabulous. Im gonna buy some pictachios and make them soon. :-
Let me know what you think Lynn!
I made the cookies last nite… It was amazing delicious… Just the two of us and now, half the cookies are gone… Thanks Marye
p.s: I’ve wrote about it in my blog. You are welcome to read em… :0)
YAY! I am so glad you liked them, Lynn! Heading right to your blog now….
Lynn-I troed to comment but could not..I am not a member of live journal, and I could nto find your email…
Thank you so much for such a sweet post!
Hi Marye, thanks for reading my blog. Actually you can reply Anonymous even if you are not a member of live journal. Btw, could you see the photos? My fren told me that he cant view all the pics.. Said that I might have link them wrongly…
My email add is lilmizlynn@gmail.com
I did not see photos. :/
Ugh.
Not ugh because I hate these, but Ugh because each year, hubby and I make hundreds of these at Christmas. It is atrocious in our kitchen from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day.
We have made these with a bit of cocoa, a little orange flavoring, and peanut butter. You can have all sorts of fun with these. When we crush the nuts I put our nuts into a gallon ziploc then hand the bag and a marble rolling pin to hubby.
We have to make dozens because everyone stops in the kitchen and grabs them almost as soon as they’re out of the over. One year we gave a cannister of them to our neighbors. Two days later there was 6 bags of sugar and 6 bags of flour on our front porch. Hint, huh?
Sorry about that. :/ I have fixed the problem and hope you can see the pics….
Funny Julie…I would say it was certainly a hint.
Lynn..You did a fantastic job..the images are great.
hey what country do these cookies come from?