Mexican Wedding Cakes
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!
Servings 20 cookies (approximately)
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.)