I love traditional cookies like this, as it also greatly reminds me of my favourite Suji cookies. Both are great for holiday gifts idea, door gifts for weddings, or just to be cherished with the afternoon cuppa.
Browning the butter brings out nutty flavour which complements well with the ground pecans in the cookies. Browned butter is a pot of molten gold, I tell you, just remember to strain it after cooling, and you get silky smooth gold perfect for baking. 
Those delicious cookies were a big hit in our house, the ‘older’ cookie monster sneaked out of bed in the middle of the night to have a bite, then another, so a batch of cookies was gone in 3 days! I was then summoned to make another batch for the cookie monster to enjoy whilst driving to work!
I know your holiday season is over, and the diet has begun. But do consider these for the indulgence that you so deserve..straight to the cookies…
PrintMexican Wedding Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These Mexican Wedding Cookies are rich with browned butter and ground pecans, coated in a generous layer of powdered sugar, perfect for indulging or gifting.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns a dark brown color, about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning. Once browned, strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a food processor, grind the pecans with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar until they are finely ground.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the cooled brown butter with the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and slightly soupy.
- Add the ground pecan mixture, flour, salt, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter. Mix until a dough forms.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, roll the cookies in additional powdered sugar to coat them completely.
Notes
Browning the butter enhances the nutty flavor of the cookies. Strain the butter after browning to ensure a smooth texture. These cookies are perfect for holiday gifts or as a treat with afternoon tea. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 20
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 20
You toast/roast the pecans in the oven – 6 to 8 minutes is about right, turn and/or shake them every couple of minutes or so and when they begin to turn dark you can take them out. Let them cool completely, then put them in a food processor and grind them. Don’t grind them too much or they will turn into pecan butter, which is delicious but not what you want here. :-)
There are tons of recipes for these cookies on the internet, many with very detailed instructions. They are also called Russian Tea Cakes or Italian Wedding cookies, among other things. So if this one ends up not being what you are looking for, there are lots of others available for you to try. Everyone expects something different, and it’s okay to try several until you find what you like the best. :-) I had one that I loved, and I lost it! I can’t find the paper it is printed on, and it is not saved to my computer, nor can I remember where I got it. So I am looking for another one. I think I may have found one on another site, and am going to give it a try.
Good luck, and have fun!
What do you mean by grind the pecan sorry I’m a little lost!