Crafted with just 6 simple ingredients, these traditional Mexican cookies have graced countless weddings and quinceañeras and are an eternal favorite on holiday cookie plates. With their deliciously crumbly consistency, toasty pieces of pecan in every bite, and a generous coating of confectioner’s sugar, they had me at first bite.
Mexican wedding cake cookies also go by different names, like Mexican wedding cakes and polvorones. In some homes around the holiday season, these sweet treats are called “Snowball Cookies” — a playful nod to their round, white appearance and the fact that they leave a whimsical trail of snowy powdered sugar in their wake. No matter what you call them, though, one thing’s for sure: this is one of those classic cookie recipes every home baker should have up their sleeve. If you love easy cookie recipes, then check out my homemade hot chocolate cookies, easy snickerdoodle recipe, or classic sugar cookies.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Unsalted butter & salt — for baking, I almost always recommend you start with unsalted butter, which allows you greater control over the final taste of the dessert.
Powdered sugar — powdered sugar is finely ground granulated sugar mixed with starch (most often cornstarch). The starch is key in creating the classic consistency these cookies are known for. If you’re fresh out, you can easily make your own by blitzing 1 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or potato starch in a food processor or high-speed blender.
Vanilla extract — I personally love the warm aroma vanilla brings to the table, but you’re welcome to up the nutty factor by swapping in almond extract instead. Or, split the difference and use half of each in this polvorones recipe!
All-purpose flour — feel free to swap in cake flour for an even lighter crumbed consistency.
Finely chopped pecans — purchase pecan pieces rather than fancy pecan halves that are more expensive.
How To Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and salt on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla until just combined.
2. With the electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour, beating until well combined. Beat in the pecans until combined.
3. Scoop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls and roll them into balls between your palms. Place 1-inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are set and the bottoms are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes.
4. Place the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Working in batches, roll the warm cookies in the sugar, shaking off excess. Place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reroll cooled cookies in confectioners’ sugar again. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common shortbread mistake. You don’t want a dry and dense cookie! The best and easiest way to measure flour is to use a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour in its container with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. Scooping the flour straight from the bag will likely overpack the measuring cup.
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to ensure your batches are the same size and bake evenly. If you plan on baking cookies regularly, they are worth purchasing, especially in a few sizes! As a bonus, cookie scoops are great for making truffles and cake pops, too.
- If you’re trying to bring the butter to room temperature quickly, roughly cut the butter into cubes to expose more surface area.
- If the powdered sugar is lumpy, sift it after measuring to ensure the coating on the cookies is light and even.
- It’s important to roll them in powdered sugar twice. The first coat of powdered sugar will melt a bit from the heat of the warm cookies, creating a delicious sugary crust. The second coat is where you build that classic, fluffy, powdered sugar coating that flurries like snow when you take a bite. (perfect for the Christmas season!
- Chop finely! You want your pecan pieces fairly small so the dough balls are easier to portion and roll. I like starting with pecan pieces since they are cheaper, and you only need a few quick chops with a knife to get them fine enough for this recipe.
- Feel free to toast the pecans first to intensify their nutty flavor. Just remember to allow them to cool completely before adding to the dough.
- These cookies don’t spread very much, so you can fit up to 18 on one large sheet pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
While they’re similar, they’re not quite the same. The biggest difference between mine is that the Mexican wedding cookie recipe uses pecans, whereas my Russian tea cakes recipe features walnuts.
Originating from Mexico, these little treats have been a staple at celebrations like weddings for generations. The name draws from their popular presence on these joyous occasions. These cookies are often served to guests as a token of gratitude and festivity. So, the next time you bite into a Mexican wedding cookie, remember you’re tasting a bite-sized symbol of love and celebration from the heart of Mexico.
If stored in an airtight container, they should keep for about 2 weeks at room temperature. This long shelf-life (coupled with their sturdy construction) is part of what makes them such a favorite for Christmas cookie trays! You can freeze the baked cookies, uncoated, in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely, then place them in a 300°F oven until warm to the touch, about 5 minutes, and coat in sugar as directed.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Mexican Wedding Cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know
Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (227g)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and salt on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla until just combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, beating until well combined. Beat in the pecans until combined. Scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls and roll into balls between your palms. Place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are set and the bottoms are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes.
- Place the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Working in batches, roll the warm cookies in the sugar, shaking off excess. Place a wire rack, and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reroll cooled cookies in confectioners’ sugar again. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common shortbread mistake. You don’t want a dry and dense cookie! The best and easiest way to measure flour is to use a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour in its container with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. Scooping the flour straight from the bag will likely overpack the measuring cup.
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to ensure your batches are the same size and bake evenly. If you plan on baking cookies regularly, they are worth purchasing, especially in a few sizes! As a bonus, cookie scoops are great for making truffles and cake pops, too.
- If you’re trying to bring the butter to room temperature quickly, roughly cut the butter into cubes to expose more surface area.
- If the powdered sugar is lumpy, sift it after measuring to ensure the coating on the cookies is light and even.
- It’s important to roll them in powdered sugar twice. The first coat of powdered sugar will melt a bit from the heat of the warm cookies, creating a delicious sugary crust. The second coat is where you build that classic, fluffy, powdered sugar coating that flurries like snow when you take a bite. (perfect for the Christmas season!
- Chop finely! You want your pecan pieces fairly small so the dough balls are easier to portion and roll. I like starting with pecan pieces since they are cheaper, and you only need a few quick chops with a knife to get them fine enough for this recipe.
- Feel free to toast the pecans first to intensify their nutty flavor. Just remember to allow them to cool completely before adding to the dough.
- These cookies don’t spread very much, so you can fit up to 18 on one large sheet pan.
Nutrition
