Russian Tea Cakes (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies)

 

Call them what you will: Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, and I think a few more names.Why a cookie has so many different names is beyond me, but I do know that we really love these cookies.  I've never made them before, but these turned out to be absolutely delectable.  Buttery, rich, and they melt on your tongue.  Sometimes when you get them from others, they just don't hit the spot...maybe too floury or hard as rocks.  But, I swear, if you follow this recipe, you will be in cookie heaven.  

This recipe makes 2 dozen 1-inch cookie dough balls.  They poof somewhat when cooking, so put them about 1/2 to 1 inch apart on your baking sheet.

Here's My Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (8 TB)  vegan butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dough
• 1/2-3/4 cups powdered sugar for topping
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup pecans, ground fine (I put them in a baggie and pound with a coffee mug until they reach a fine consistency)

Method:

1.  Put crushed pecans in small saucepan and turn heat to medium.  Stir often about 3 minutes or less. Remove from heat when you begin to smell the aroma of the pecans and they are heated through.
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add in 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until well combined.
4. Beat in flour and nuts. The dough that forms will be clumpy and moist-looking.
5. Place dough on plastic wrap and shape into a ball.  Place in fridge about 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 350.
7. Spray a cookie sheet.
8. Remove dough from fridge, and lightly flour your palms.
9. Break off bits of dough and roll into 1-inch balls using your hands.
10. Space cookie balls at least 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet.
11. Bake about 15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden and tops feel firm to the touch, but are not really browned.
12. Once you remove the cookies from oven, add the rest of the powdered sugar to a pie pan or bowl.
13. Roll cookies in powdered sugar until coated on all sides.
14. Sit powdered cookies on a cooling rack with a sheet of foil underneath to catch extra sugar.
15. The sugar will seem to melt into the cookies, so what I did is take the rest of the leftover sugar from the bowl and sifted it lightly over the tops of the cookies on the cooling rack.

Enjoy!