Russian Tea Cakes (also: Mexican Wedding Cookies)

By: mikie
Category: Desserts - Cookies
This recipe is suitable for a: vegetarian/vegan diet.

Ingredients:
-----------------------------------------------------
1 cup softened non-hydrogenated-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts


Instructions:
-----------------------------------------------------
In a large bowl, blend the first four ingredients well. Add the flour in slowly at a low speed until just combined, then stir in the chopped nuts. Roll the dough into one inch balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets (they can be placed somewhat close to each other, because they won't flatten much during baking.) Bake in the oven at 350F for eight to 10 minutes, or until firm to touch. While warm, roll the balls in powdered sugar. After they're cool, roll them again before serving. Eat far too many.


Additional comments:
-----------------------------------------------------
This is one of many Christmas cookies my mother would make every year. They're my favorite, and extremely easy to veganize: just use vegan margarine! They're also really easy and quick to make. I usually place the whole batch on a single cookie sheet.



For a printable version of this recipe click the post # in the upper right hand corner.
You can rate this recipe using the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner.

they sound good
only i don't remember eating them in the old country

Oh yay! My brother wants me to make these, they are his all time favorite cookies.

they are one of my favorite cookies, too. but i thought that russian tea cakes were a little different? like spiced differently, or something?

What I've had served to me as Russian Tea Cakes, was also a bit different. More like what this (http://cookie.allrecipes.com/az/RussianTeaCakesII.asp) recipe would yield.

Mikie's recipe does look a lot like cookies served here for Las Posadas.

My family loves these.

I've made them twice, though, and both times they turned out, "too doughy" They're supposed to be sort of crunchy, right? I think I may not be baking them long enough.

They ARE supposed to be crunchy, correct? Or am I actually doing it right?

Did you use this recipe or a different one? I've never had doughy ones before, but I'm not sure if "crunchy" is the word I'd use to describe them either. They're more like... chunky shortbread. :D

I've read in many recipes that they can be overbaked, but I'm not sure what that entails (other than brown bottoms), but I'd be careful about leaving them in too long. I take them out when they're firm to touch.