Mexican Wedding Cookies
Some years ago, when my son was still in elementary school and before we started homeschooling, we always used to bake these cookies for his teachers, and for our neighbors around Christmas time. Now he’s a young man and those days of cookie-baking together are just a sweet memory. I asked him today if he remembered those days and he said that he does. My son’s favorite cookies are chocolate chip cookies… well, mostly the cookie dough. But, Wedding cookies were our first choice for Christmas cookie baking, they are so easy to make and your kids will enjoy making them too. Christmas is a good time for you and your family to make happy memories together. I hope you take the time during this holiday season to make these cookies and enjoy one another.
Snowy day in the Sierra Tarahumara, Chuihuahua, Chih., México (Photo Courtesy taringa.net)
How to make Mexican Wedding Cookies
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 325 F and grease 2 large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Place the pecans in a food processor and chop fine.
- Remove 1 cup of the pecans and process the rest into a very fine texture almost like a cornmeal. See picture below for the difference in texture. Just be careful to not over-process the pecans or you will end up with pecan butter. This way you will still enjoy the pecans when giving a bite into your cookies.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, salt, and pecans. Stir and set aside.
- Use your mixer for this step. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with 1/3 cup confectioner sugar; when it gets light and fluffy stir in vanilla. Gradually add the flour and pecan mixture and beat at a low speed for a few seconds until it forms a coarse dough that resembles oatmeal.
- Roll one tablespoon of dough into a small ball, they’re about 1 inch in size. Place 1 1/2 inch apart on your baking sheets. Do not overwork the dough, if you do so, the end result will be that of a flat cookie.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes. They will be ready when their bottom is beginning to brown and the cookies are firm.
- Remove from oven and let them cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Place the 1 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar in a bowl. Roll cookies in the sugar, working with 2 or 3 at a time. Roll again to completely coat them.
- 2 cups of pecans or walnuts
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter 16 tablespoons, softened
- 1/3 cup of confectioner sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting.
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Preheat oven to 325 F and grease 2 large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
-
Place the pecans in a food processor and chop fine. You can also use a blender for this purpose.
-
Remove 1 cup of the pecans and process the rest into a very fine texture almost like a cornmeal. Just be careful to not over-process the pecans or you will end up with pecan butter. This way (by leaving some coarse pieces) you will still enjoy the pecans when giving a bite into your cookies.
-
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, salt, and pecans. Stir and set aside.
-
Use your mixer for this step. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with 1/3 cup confectioner sugar; when it gets light and fluffy stir in vanilla. Gradually add the flour and pecan mixture and beat at a low speed for a few seconds until it forms a coarse dough that resembles oatmeal. The dough can be made one day ahead and when ready to bake brought back to room temperature to form the cookies.
-
Roll one tablespoon of dough into a small ball, they’re about 1 inch in size. Place 1 1/2 inch apart on your baking sheets. Do not overwork the dough, if you do so, the end result will be that of a flat cookie.
-
Bake for about 15-18 minutes. They will be ready when their bottom is beginning to brown and the cookies are firm.
-
Remove from oven and let them cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
-
Place the 1 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar in a bowl. Roll cookies in the sugar, working with 2 or 3 at a time. Shake any excess if necessary. Roll again to completely coat them.
* Many recipes ask to roll the cookies into the sugar when they are still warm. I’ve found that if you dust the cookies when they are cool they will look prettier, and won’t have that gummy texture. You can even bake them ahead and just roll them into the confectioner sugar before serving or packing. If you already rolled them into the sugar just after baking, roll them again into the confectioner sugar, shake any excess and serve.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Hojarascas
Griddle Cookies
Receta en español Galletas de Nuez.
I hope you make them… If you do, please come back to let me know your experience.
these look wonderful must try
Good Morning Mely,
Your cookies look beautiful and I have pinned the recipe. Hope you are having a wonderful day and thanks for sharing!
Miz Helen
Hello Miz Helen,
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you try the recipe is a foolproof.
Qué ricas! Yo hice gorditas de harina. Guardaré tu receta para hacerlas como tu.
Besos
yumm, perfect little present of cookies. have a nice day
I love these cookies… and they look so fancy! Nice for a gift.
Thank you for this recipe; it tried it this weekend and the cookies came out very well. I didn't realize they were so easy to make!
Hello Vanessa,
I am so glad to know you found the recipe to be easy.
Thank you for comment.
Mely
They look so delicious going to try them
They turned out great!!!! ????
Hi Mely. I was wondering how far in advance you can bake the cookies before they go bad? Also, can you make the dough and keep it chilled in the fridge for a few days before baking? Thank you and I love all the recipes on your site!
Hello JustBritt,
Cookies store well in an air-thigh container for 5 days, but personally I feel their freshness is gone after 2 or 3 days. The same applies to cookie dough, you can keep in the fridge for a couple of days just fine or freeze for a longer period.
Happy baking!
Hi Mely. This is the first time I have made polvorones and they came out great! I mixed some orange extract into the dough before chilling, they tasted great with and without the extract. Thank you so much, I am going to be making these for a long time!
Delicious recipe!!! I'm not a baker but these came out so crumbly and tasted like an expert baker had made them. I'll be giving them away as gifts. Thank you for sharing this super easy recipe!
Hello evidell,
Thank you for taking the time to come back and share your experience with the recipe.
could i make the wedding cookies with 1/2 salted 1/2 unsalted?
Hello Lidia,
Yes, you can. Happy baking!
I’m making some today too!
We tried your recipe last year. They are really easy to make. I gave many of them as a gift to my coworkers and family. Thank you for sharing the recipe. My daughters are making them today.
Mely, it’s a tie between these and some good molasses cookies. These are both easy to make and easy to consume, they taste that good. We make them with pecans (always.) i hope we have time to make them this year before Christmas.
Keep up the great work. I send many people to your site.
Merry Christmas
Hello Mark,
Thank you for sharing Mexico in my kitchen with your friends.