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Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

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By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Jul 13, 2024
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You may know this cookie by many names: Mexican wedding cakes, Russian tea cakes, snowball cookies, or even butterballs are all names associated with these delicious, round cookies covered in powdered sugar. Whatever you call them, our recipe is quick and easy to make, taking only 15 minutes to prep!

The history of Mexican wedding cake cookies is largely unknown. Some believe the recipe originated in Eastern Europe. Whatever the origin story, these cookies became increasingly popular in the twentieth century, typically served during special occasions like weddings and Christmas.

Key ingredients in Mexican wedding cakes are pretty basic. Most recipes, like this one, call for butter, powdered sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and some type of ground nut. You can use almonds, pecans, or even macadamia nuts depending on your personal preferences. You can buy nuts pre-ground at the grocery store, but it’s easy to grind whole nuts on your own if you have a food processor handy.

Can’t wait to start baking this holiday season? These cookies are easy to make ahead of time and store, too. Check out how to store Mexican Cake Cookies below for more info.

Plan all your cookie recipes for your holiday or party platter by printing out this Mexican wedding cake cookies recipe.

How To Make Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

You know we love a quick and easy cookie recipe here at Pillsbury, and this recipe for Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies is no exception! You can find the full detailed instructions for this recipe below, but here are the general steps for how to make these sweet treats.

Make the Cookie Dough

Mix some of the powdered sugar with butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour, nuts, and salt until the dough forms .

Place and Bake

Roll the dough into balls, then place them on ungreased cookie sheets and bake until set, but not brown (this is key to keep the cookies from getting too dry).

Cool and Roll

Here’s the fun part! Let the cookies cool for a few minutes after baking, then roll them while they’re still warm in powdered sugar. Allow the Mexican wedding cakes to cool completely, then re-roll them in powdered sugar for a final time. Enjoy!

How To Store Mexican Cake Cookies

Now that you’ve made your bounty of delicious treats, you’ll want to keep them fresh for your friends and family (not that they’ll likely last long). How long can you store Mexican wedding cake cookies? Well, that depends on your storage preference.

At Room Temperature: You can store each bitesize Mexican wedding cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. For best results, we recommend stacking the cookies between layers of parchment paper so they keep their shape. Also, make sure your container is very airtight to keep these cookies from going stale.

In the Fridge: For longer storage, or if you like to eat chilled cookies, you can store your cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

In the Freezer: These easy Mexican wedding cake cookies are as simple to freeze as they are to make! For detailed instructions on how to freeze, check out Can You Freeze Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies? below. But as a rule, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months.

Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies Vs. Russian Tea Cakes

The Mexican wedding cake recipe goes by many names, and yet the recipes are exactly the same!

In particular, the difference between Russian tea cakes vs. Mexican wedding cookies is just the name. They are the same cookie recipe, but with a different title. There may be subtle variations in amounts and even types of ingredients (some say that Russian tea cakes are usually made with walnuts instead of almonds or pecans), but in terms of taste and texture, you can expect them to be identical.

You may also see a recipe for Mexican wedding cakes go by the name of snowballs, butterballs, Viennese crescents, or Polvorones, and there are as many theories on why the names are so varied as there are names for these cookies. But whatever you choose to call them, they’re easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies Vs. Italian Wedding Cookies

Like Russian tea cakes, the difference between Mexican wedding cake cookies vs. Italian wedding cookies is subtle, or in some cases, nonexistent. While many cookie recipes with either name are interchangeable, there are a few small differences between a Mexican wedding cakes recipe and an Italian wedding cookies recipe.

Star Anise: Italians like to add a touch of star anise to their wedding cookies, which alters the flavor slightly from a Mexican wedding cake cookies recipe.

Shape: Italian wedding cookies are sometimes shaped into crescents, while Mexican wedding cake cookies are usually shaped into round balls.

Nut Varieties: In general, a recipe for Mexican wedding cake cookies calls for chopped or ground almonds or pecans. For Italian wedding cookies, there is often a mix of nuts, such as almonds and hazelnuts, rather than one variety.

More About This Recipe

  • You may know this cookie by many names: Mexican wedding cakes, Russian tea cakes, snowball cookies and butterballs are all names associated with these delicious, round cookies covered in powdered sugar. The history of Mexican wedding cakes is largely unknown. Some believe the recipe originated in Eastern Europe. Whatever the origin story, these cookies became increasingly popular in the twentieth century, typically served during special occasions like weddings and Christmas. Key ingredients in Mexican wedding cakes are pretty basic. Most recipes like this one call for butter, powdered sugar, flour, salt, vanilla and some type of ground nut. You can use almonds, pecans or even macadamia nuts depending on your personal preferences. You can buy nuts pre-ground at the grocery store, but it’s easy to ground whole nuts on your own if you have a food processor handy! These cookies are easy to make ahead of time and store, too. Learn how by reading this https://www.pillsbury.com/everyday-eats/desserts/cookies-bars/how-to-make-cookies, where you’ll also learn how to store other types of cookies, too. Can’t wait to start baking this holiday season? Plan all of your cookie recipes for your party platter by printing out this Mexican wedding cookies recipe and browsing the rest of our easy cookie recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Freeze Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies?

Mexican wedding cake cookies are a breeze to freeze, but for the best Mexican wedding cake cookies that have been stored in the freezer for a while, here are our tips and recommendations.

Store the Cookies in Layers: To keep the baked cookies in good shape in the freezer, store them between layers of parchment paper or waxed paper in an airtight container.

How Long to Store Frozen Cookies: These Mexican wedding cake cookies can be baked, fully cooled and frozen for up to three months.

How to Thaw Frozen Cookies: Thaw your frozen baked Mexican wedding cake cookies at room temperature. You can coat them in powdered sugar before freezing, but for best results, give them an extra toss in powdered sugar after they’re thawed before you’re ready to serve them.

Can you freeze Mexican wedding cake cookie dough? We have not tested this in our Pillsbury Kitchens, but we do think this cookie dough could be frozen. Our recommendation is to roll the dough into balls, then place on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a resealable food-storage plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months, then bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time. (If you give this method a try, let us know your results in the comments!)

What Is the Origin of Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies?

The origin story of Mexican wedding cake cookies is as varied as the names they’ve been given over the years. Some people think they originated in Eastern Europe or in medieval Arabia, making their way over to Europe by trade routes. Some say that European nuns brought the melt-in-your-mouth treats over to Mexico, or that Spanish conquistadors introduced them to North America in the 16th century.

As for the name, this origin is also debatable. Some claim that the name was changed from Russian tea cakes during the Cold War, but others believe the name “Mexican wedding cake cookies” originated in cookbooks prior to the Cold War.

Then and now, these buttery cookies grace dessert tables all over the world, often as edible wedding favors or as a festive treat during the winter holidays (especially given their “snowball”-like appearance).

Regardless of where they came from or what they’re called, we are happy that this recipe over time has become a regular part of our celebrations and one of our favorite Christmas dessert recipes.

What are Some Variations of the Classic Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies?

We love cookie recipes that are both easy and yummy, which is why we have many variations on this classic cookie! Here are some of our very favorites.

Cinnamon Mexican Wedding Cakes

Made with Pillsbury™ sugar cookie dough, these shortcut wedding cake cookies are flavored with a kiss of cinnamon for added yumminess.

Easiest-Ever Russian Tea Cakes

True to their name, these tea cakes are easier than ever with only five ingredients and simple prep. With 54 servings, this recipe is great for parties and holidays.

Looking for more south-of-the-border sweetness? Here are all our Mexican dessert recipes.

Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

  • Prep Time 1 hr 30 min
  • Total 1 hr 30 min
  • Ingredients 7
  • Servings 54
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped or ground almonds or pecans
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, the butter and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour, almonds and salt until dough forms.
  • Step 
    2
    Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
  • Step 
    4
    Place 3/4 cup powdered sugar in small bowl. Roll cookies in powdered sugar. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Nutrition

70 Calories
4 1/2g Total Fat
1g Protein
7g Total Carbohydrate
3g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories
70
Calories from Fat
40
Total Fat
4 1/2g
7%
Saturated Fat
2 1/2g
11%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
10mg
3%
Sodium
35mg
1%
Potassium
25mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate
7g
2%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
3g
Protein
1g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
2%
2%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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