Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican Christmas cookies on a white plate next to a holiday mug and bowl of pine cones

5 from 1 vote

Mexican Wedding Cookies is a nostalgic, melt-in-your-mouth Christmas cookie recipe. These buttery shortbread cookies with finely chopped nuts are rolled in powdered sugar (twice, for good measure) and will look as good as they taste on your holiday cookie platter.

Prep Time10

Cook Time14

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 104kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter 2 sticks
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

Finely chop or grind pecan pieces with a sharp knife, food processor, or place them in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, ½ cup of powdered sugar, and vanilla together with a mixer.
Whisk the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until it forms a stiff dough.
Add the nuts and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Chill the dough for at least one hour in the refrigerator until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Use a small cookie scoop or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop dough. Roll it between your hands to form 1-inch balls.
Place the balls about 2 inches apart on a cool baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are set. The bottoms will be very light brown.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Roll the cooled cookies in powdered sugar again.

Video

Notes

Storage

Store cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper or wax paper at room temperature for up to one week.

Make Ahead

Freeze the dough. Wrap a batch of dough in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. You an also roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, and pop them in a freezer bag. Freeze the dough for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Freeze the cookies. Prepare the cookies as directed and let them cool completely. Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. After defrosting, some of the powdered sugar may have dissolved, so roll them in a fresh new coating of powdered sugar.

Tips

If the dough is too stiff to work with out of the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water.
If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour.

Nutrition