Russian Tea Cakes
A classic holiday treat, also known as Mexican wedding cake, with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture, a subtle nutty flavor, and a generous coating of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
walnuts (roasted)
1/2 cup
pecans (roasted)
1/2 cup
all-purpose flour (divided, with 2 tbsp mixed with the nuts)
2 cups
salt
1/2 tsp
unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup (2 sticks)
granulated sugar
1/3 cup
orange zest (finely chopped)
1 tsp
vanilla extract
1 tsp
powdered sugar (for coating)
2/3 cup
Instructions
1
Prepare the oven
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Grease two baking sheets.
2
Grind the nuts
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the walnuts, pecans, and 2 tbsp of the flour. Process until the nuts are finely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the remaining flour and salt and mix well.
3
Make the dough
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla. Add the flour–nut mixture at low speed and mix until just combined.
4
Bake
Roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 17 to 20 minutes, until light golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
5
Coat in sugar
Place the powdered sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll the tops in the powdered sugar until completely coated (the sugar will melt slightly). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, sift the remaining powdered sugar over the tops.
