Get ready to fill your home with the comforting scent of holiday baking with this Mexican Polvorones cookie recipe—also known as Mexican wedding cookies, snowball cookies, or Russian tea cakes.
These delicate cookies melt in your mouth, offering a tender, crumbly texture and rich buttery flavor. Rolled in a snowy coat of powdered sugar and lightly spiced with cinnamon, each round bite balances sweetness and nuttiness—perfect for festive platters and gift boxes.
Difference between Mexican Polvorones Cookies and Sugar Cookies
Searching for Mexican polvorones might return Mexican wedding cookies, Mexican pink cookies, and sugar cookies, but they are not identical.
Mexican Polvorones are small, round (or crescent-shaped) cookies with a crumbly, buttery texture often made with nuts and generously coated in powdered sugar. They deliver a rich, nutty flavor and a delicate finish.
Mexican sugar cookies (including the pink varieties) resemble traditional sugar cookies: they typically have a simpler vanilla sweetness, are often nut-free, and are shaped and decorated with cutters, icing, or sprinkles for festive occasions.
| Mexican Polvorones | Mexican Sugar Cookies |
|---|---|
| A specific type of cookie | Refers to traditional sugar cookies |
| Crumbly, buttery texture | Various textures: soft, chewy, or crumbly |
| Often contains nuts | Typically nut-free |
| Generously coated in powdered sugar | May be decorated with icing, sprinkles, or sugar |
| Distinct nutty richness and flavor profile | Simple sweet vanilla taste |
| Shaped as balls or crescents | Shaped and decorated for festive occasions |
| Also called Mexican wedding cookies, snowball cookies or Russian tea cakes |
Colored variations like pink known as Mexican pink cookies or polvorones rosas |
Ingredients
- Butter – Unsalted, at room temperature for best texture.
- Powdered sugar – Finely sifted; divide into two portions: one for the dough and one for coating.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for clean flavor.
- Almond flour – Store-bought almond flour is convenient. Alternatively grind and sift blanched almonds. If unavailable, 1/2 tsp almond essence can be used as a substitute.
- Pecans – Toasted and roughly chopped for crunch and flavor; almonds work as a substitute.
Jump to the recipe card at the end of the post for a printable version.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
Beat room-temperature butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer for 2–3 minutes until smooth, pausing to scrape down the bowl. You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
Stir in all-purpose flour and almond flour on low speed until almost combined.
Fold in toasted, roughly chopped pecans with a wooden spoon or spatula to form a cohesive dough.
Chill the Dough:
Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
Preheat, Scoop and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Using a standard ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, shape the dough into smooth 1-inch balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the bottom is golden while the top remains pale. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 3 minutes before removing.
Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling after coating.
Powdered Sugar Coating
- Mix powdered sugar with a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of ground cinnamon in a wide bowl.
- While still warm (within a few minutes of baking), roll each cookie in the cinnamon-sugar so the coating adheres.
- Place coated cookies on a wire rack to cool completely so the coating sets.
- Once cooled, roll the cookies a second time in the powdered sugar for a thicker, prettier finish and a touch more sweetness. This double coating also masks minor cracks.
Enjoy these cinnamon-kissed polvorones with your favorite hot beverage this holiday season.
Storage Instructions
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to preserve texture and flavor.
- Keep them in a cool, dry spot; use parchment between layers if stacking to prevent sticking.
- Consume within a week for best flavor, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Can you Freeze these cookies?
Yes. Freezing extends shelf life—follow these simple steps.
- Freezing:
- Cool baked cookies completely.
- Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid (1–2 hours).
- Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between layers. Label with the date.
- Store frozen for 2–3 months.
- Thawing:
- Thaw at room temperature to preserve texture and flavor.
Freezing gives you ready-to-eat cookies whenever a sweet craving hits.
How to Freeze the Cookie Dough?
Freezing dough is convenient for quick baking later. Follow these steps:
- Prepare dough as directed and portion it using a scoop.
- Place portions on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid (1–2 hours).
- Store frozen dough balls in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between layers and label with date.
- Dough will keep for 2–3 months.
Baking from frozen: Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the recommended baking time if needed.
Baker’s Tips:
- Preheat the oven, sift dry ingredients, and chill the dough—these steps improve texture and shape.
- Use soft, room-temperature butter rather than melted. For a deeper flavor, try brown butter sparingly.
- Use finely chopped toasted pecans (not nut meal) for contrast in texture and flavor.
- Chill dough for 20–30 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading.
- Watch baking time closely—cookies should be lightly golden at the base while the tops stay pale to avoid drying and cracking.
- Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar, then again after cooling, for an attractive, even coating.
- These cookies make lovely gifts or additions to holiday cookie boxes and stand out among other cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cracks usually come from overbaking, which dries the cookie. Remove them when the bottoms are golden but the tops still look pale.
Chill the dough for at least 20–30 minutes before shaping; chilled dough holds its shape better in the oven.
Yes. Mexican wedding cookies are often called Russian tea cakes, snowball cookies, or polvorones and share the same crumbly texture, nut inclusion, and powdered sugar coating.
Related Recipes:
- New Mexico Biscochitos Recipe
- Toffee Cookies
- How to Toast Pecans
- 5-Ingredient Snowball Cookies
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Mexican Polvorones Cookie Recipe – Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 113 gms (1/2 cup) Butter room temperature
- 55 gms (1/3 cup) Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 136 gms (1 cup + 2 tbsp) All-purpose flour
- 20 gms Almond flour
- 47 gms (1/3 cup) Pecans
Powdered Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Beat butter and powdered sugar for 2–3 minutes until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and mix until combined.
- Stir in all-purpose and almond flours on low speed until nearly combined.
- Fold in toasted, roughly chopped pecans and mix into a cohesive dough.
- Cover and refrigerate dough for 20–30 minutes.
Preheat, Scoop and Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Bake 13–15 minutes until bottoms are golden and tops remain pale. Let sit in the pan for 3 minutes.
Powdered Sugar Coating
- Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon in a wide bowl.
- Roll warm cookies in the sugar mixture for the first coating.
- Place on a wire rack to cool completely so the coating sets.
- Roll cooled cookies again in the sugar for a double coating.
Notes
- Yield varies with size: about 13 using a large scoop or up to 18 with a tablespoon measurement.
- If you skip almond flour, substitute 1/2 tsp almond essence and add 20 gms extra all-purpose flour.
- First powdered sugar roll should be done while the cookies are warm (within a few minutes) so the sugar adheres.
- Watch bake time closely; slightly underbaked tops keep the centers tender.
- These cookies make excellent gifts and holiday treats.
Nutrition
|
Carbohydrates: 11 g
|
Protein: 1 g