Mexican Wedding Cookies (Christmas Snowballs)

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Buttery, nutty ball-shaped shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar that melt in your mouth.

You might also know them as Snowballs, Russian Tea Cakes, or Pecan Sandies (close cousins).

They’re holiday heroes, wedding-staple-adjacent, and they vanish fast on any Christmas cookie tray.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Recipe at a Glance
• Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
• Equipment You'll Need
• Instructions
• Pro Tips
• Variations and Substitutions
• Mexican Wedding Cookies vs. Other Cookies
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Christmas Cookie Tray Tips
• A Short History
• More Holiday Cookies to Try
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to buttery shortbread and classic chopped pecans, making them perfect pecan wedding cookies
• Quick and easy: No chill time required, done in under 30 minutes
• Perfect for holidays and celebrations: Christmas, weddings, showers, and gifting
• Customizable: Includes a nut-free version and flavor twists

Recipe at a Glance

• Texture: tender, sandy, melt-in-your-mouth
• Flavor: buttery shortbread with toasted nutty crunch
• Shape: rolled into balls
• Difficulty: easy
• Perfect for: Christmas trays, weddings, showers, coffee breaks
• Freezer-friendly: yes (see FAQ)

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Unsalted Butter: Use high-quality unsalted butter for best results. European-style butter (like Kerrygold) has a higher butterfat content, which creates a richer flavor and slightly softer texture. Avoid margarine: it’s missing that creamy, melt-in-your-mouth quality.
• Confectioners Sugar (Powdered Sugar): Sift before mixing and rolling to avoid clumps. This fine sugar gives the cookies their smooth dough and snowy coating.
• Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla offers the deepest flavor. You can also use Mexican vanilla for a warm, aromatic twist. Avoid imitation vanilla if possible.
• Almond Extract: Optional but recommended for extra depth. A little goes a long way.
• All-Purpose Flour: Sift to lighten and aerate the flour. Stick to all-purpose; bread flour is too strong and cake flour is too soft.
• Salt: Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
• Pecans or Walnuts: Pecans are traditional in the U.S. South and Mexico; walnuts are used in many European versions. Toast them first for extra flavor-either in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or on a baking sheet at 300°F for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Let them cool before adding to the dough.
• Extra Confectioners Sugar (for rolling): Don't skimp. This outer layer gives the cookies their "snowball" appeal. Roll once while warm, then again once fully cool.

Equipment You'll Need

• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Sifter or fine mesh strainer
• Cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size)
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a stand mixer, cream together the room-temperature butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract until well combined.

Sift the flour and salt into the butter mixture and beat on medium speed. The dough will be thick.

Add chopped pecans and mix until fully incorporated.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set.

Cool baked cookies for 10 to 15 minutes on the baking sheet before rolling. They should be cool enough to handle but still warm to the touch for the best sugar adhesion.

Roll each cookie generously in powdered sugar.

Pro Tips

• Cooled Butter (But Not Cold): It’s important to let the butter sit out to cool to room temperature (about 67°F. or 19°C.) before starting the recipe.
  • Too cold, the cookies can be excessively crumbly;
  • Too warm, and the cookies spread too much.
• Cool, then roll: Let cookies cool 10 to 15 minutes before coating. Too hot and the sugar melts; too cold and it won't stick.
• Uniform Size and Shape of Cookies: Use a cookie scoop for even-sized balls that bake uniformly.
• Easier Mixing: A stand mixer makes thick shortbread dough easier to handle. A hand mixer works too with a little extra effort.
• Feeling sticky, chill: If dough feels soft or sticky, cover and chill for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling.

Variations and Substitutions

• Nut-Free Version: Omit pecans or walnuts. Use mini chocolate chips or toasted sunflower seeds instead.
• Flavor Twists: Add a pinch of cinnamon or citrus zest to the dough.
• Other Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts work well too.

Christmas Cookie Tray Tips

• Roll cookies twice in powdered sugar for extra snowy effect.
• Add cinnamon or nutmeg to the sugar for a holiday spice.
• Package in cookie tins with wax paper for festive gifts.

A Short History

These cookies go by many names around the world: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, and more. They're all variations on a nutty, buttery shortbread-style cookie rolled in powdered sugar.

In Mexico, they're known as Polvorones de Nuez, often served not just at weddings, but at quinceañeras, baptisms, Christmas gatherings, and other family celebrations. The Spanish name "Polvorones" comes from polvo (dust), referring to their crumbly texture and sugar-dusted exterior.

Similar cookies were popular in Europe as tea-time treats, especially in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, and were brought to the Americas through cultural exchange. During the Cold War, the name "Russian Tea Cakes" fell out of favor in the U.S., and "Mexican Wedding Cookies" became more widely used.

More Holiday Cookies to Try

• Christmas Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
• Shortbread Chocolate-Filled Christmas Cookies
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Old-Fashioned Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Ready to bake? These sweet little snowballs are quick to make and impossible to resist. Perfect for your next celebration, or just a cozy afternoon treat.

Recipe