These are the absolute CLASSIC Christmas Cookie, Russian Tea Cakes, or Snowballs. My family would RIOT if these weren’t included in our Christmas baking every year.
I mean, is it even really Christmas if you don’t have powdered sugar on your chin?
Russian Tea Cakes (no Nuts!)
These Russian Tea Cakes (without nuts) are an incredibly tender cookie made WITH powdered sugar and then rolled in powdered sugar, TWICE. We roll them twice so the cookies are well coated in powdered sugar. AND so that we know who’s been IN the cookies. HA!
I leave the nuts out because I just prefer them that way. I will give you directions in the recipe card if you want to add nuts to your cookies.
You may also know Russian Tea Cakes by their other names. Some people call them Mexican Wedding Cakes and others call them Snowballs. What do you call them?
What’s different about These Cookies?
Russian Tea Cakes don’t have eggs in them. If you need an egg-free cookie recipe this one is for you!
No leavening agent and no egg means no puff, no rise, no fluffy cookies. These cookies stay almost the same size from start to finish.
Help my Russian Tea Cake Dough is DRY!!
If your cookie dough is dry you have probably added too much flour or powdered sugar. If you’re trying to roll balls and the dough is dry you are probably too far gone to fix it.
The BEST you can do is let the dough come back to room temperature when the butter is soft again and make the balls that way. THEN refrigerate them before you bake.
You COULD add more softened butter to the dough and try to get it to hold together better. But that is probably going to result in some weird cookies. It might be worth your time though.
This is an instance where you MUST measure carefully. If you’re using cups remember to loosen the flour and THEN scoop it carefully into the cup and level it off.
If you’re using a scale, which is a more precise way to bake, EACH cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 grams. And be sure to also weigh the powdered sugar, it should come in at 50 grams for 1/2 cup.
One more tip for dry cookie dough, when you’re chilling it, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Don’t let it dry out in the fridge.
Our OTHER Favorite Cookie Recipes
Russian Tea Cakes
Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding cakes are an egg-free cookie baked and rolled twice in powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, DIVIDED
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla together thoroughly, set aside
- measure the flour by using the above-mentioned dipping method, put in a separate mixing bowl
- add the salt and stir with a fork
- use a mixer and blend the flour into the butter mix
- wrap and cover well with plastic wrap
- chill for at least an hour
- to bake preheat the oven to 400˚
- roll the dough into one inch balls
- put on a parchment-lined baking sheet
- bake for 10-12 minutes or until set
- cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet while it's still warm
- put the other cup of of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl
- while they are still warmroll each cookie through the powdered sugar and set on a baking rack
- when completely cool roll in the powdered sugar again
- store in an air tight cookie tin
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Nutrition Information
Yield
48Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 71Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 10mgSodium 43mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 1g
This nutrition information was calculated using a computer program, results may vary.
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These were fun to make and fun to eat!