Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (85g) pecans, very finely chopped
For Coating:
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (for rolling the finished cookies)
Instructions
- Prepare pecans: If not already done, very finely chop your pecans. For best results, pulse them in a food processor 8-10 times until they’re almost a meal consistency but not ground into butter. For extra flavor, toast pecans in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes first, then let cool completely before chopping. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should become light, fluffy, and pale in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed for even mixing.
- Add vanilla: Beat in the vanilla extract for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
- Mix in flour and salt: Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined and no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix or cookies will become tough. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Fold in pecans: Add the finely chopped pecans and mix on the lowest speed or fold in by hand with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Chill dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This makes the dough easier to handle and helps cookies maintain their round shape during baking. (If you’re short on time, you can skip this, but chilling is recommended for best results.)
- Preheat oven: While dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Shape cookies: Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie). Place them on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. These cookies don’t spread much, so you can fit quite a few on each sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookies are set and just barely beginning to turn golden on the bottom. The tops should remain pale – don’t let them brown. They may look slightly underdone, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
- First sugar coating: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for exactly 5 minutes – they should be cool enough to handle but still warm. Place about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Gently roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar until completely coated. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Cool completely: Allow cookies to cool completely on the rack, about 30-45 minutes. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
- Second sugar coating: Once cookies are completely cool to the touch, roll them in fresh powdered sugar again for that signature thick, snowy coating. This double coating is what gives Mexican Wedding Cookies their beautiful appearance.
- Serve or store: Arrange on a serving platter or store in an airtight container. These cookies taste even better after sitting for 24 hours as the flavors meld together.
Notes
- Pecans must be very finely chopped but not ground into paste. Stop pulsing in the food processor before they become pecan butter.
- The double powdered sugar coating is essential – once while warm, once when cool. This creates that beautiful thick layer.
- Cookies should stay pale when baked. If they’re browning, reduce oven temperature by 25°F.
- Dough can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop to measure dough portions.
- If dough seems too crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons softened butter and mix gently.
- These cookies are traditionally served at room temperature, not warm from the oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling time)
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes per batch
- Category: Desert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 10mg