Especially popular at Christmas, Mexican wedding cakes are far too irresistible a confection to make an appearance on the table just once a year. Despite their somewhat misleading moniker, these cakes are actually cookies, more properly known as polvorones in Mexico and Spain. Incredibly easy to prepare, they come together in practically no time at all. And these little cookies make a truly fabulous treat anytime, whatever you may call them!
Ingredients
- salted butter
- powdered sugar
- pure vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- sea salt
- walnuts
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Begin by finely chopping the walnuts.
Then cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a wooden spoon.
Next add the flour and salt.
Mix until the flour is mostly incorporated into the dough.
Then add the finely chopped nuts.
Mix in the nuts with your hands, pressing the dough together until it coheres into a large ball.
Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill briefly while you heat the oven to 400℉.
Then roll one tablespoon of dough into a ball for each cookie and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are pale golden on top and golden brown underneath. Then allow them to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes.
Finally, roll the cookies in powdered sugar while still warm and place on a cooling rack. (If desired, roll them in the sugar one more time after thoroughly cool.)
Hint: Most recipes for Mexican wedding cakes call for unsalted butter, and I dutifully made them that way for years. But ever since one fateful day when I inadvertently made a batch with salted butter, I have entirely changed my ways. Now I always opt for salted butter here (in addition to the pinch of sea salt), which provides a little extra oomph against all that powdered sugar...and makes a noticeably delicious difference.
Storage
Mexican wedding cakes will keep for several days in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Related
Looking for more easy dessert recipes of the cookie persuasion? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Mexican Wedding Cakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar sifted (plus more for dusting)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- generous pinch sea salt
- ½ cup walnuts finely chopped
Instructions
- Cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a wooden spoon.
- Add the flour and salt, mixing until the flour is mostly incorporated into the dough.
- Mix in the chopped nuts with your hands, pressing the dough together until it coheres into a large ball. Then place the dough in the refrigerator to chill briefly while you heat the oven to 400℉.
- Roll one tablespoon of dough into a ball for each cookie and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are pale golden on top and golden brown underneath.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Then roll them in powdered sugar while still warm and place on a cooling rack. (If desired, roll them in the sugar one more time after thoroughly cool.)
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