Russian Tea Cakes

Russian Tea Cakes - made December 10, 2010 from Cookies by Natalie Hartanov Haughton (book #23)

 Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Buttery Tea Balls, and Snowballs are all different names for almost the same exact cookie: a pecan butter cookie shaped into a ball, baked and rolled in powdered sugar.  The ingredients are generally the same with only slight variations in proportions.  The keys to a great Russian Tea Cake is toasting the pecans before adding to the dough, not overbaking and rolling the cookies in powdered sugar while they're still warm so that first layer of sugar almost melts into the cookie then re-rolling them once they're fully cool.  I'm convinced the last 2 steps are what contributes most of the melt-in-your-mouth texture of these cookies.  This is one of the few cookies I'm okay adding nuts to since the flavor of the pecans is part of the flavor and texture of the cookie.

I've had this recipe book by Natalie Hartanov Haughton since I was a teenager.  The original copyright date is 1983 which gives you an idea of how old it is.  The recipes are pretty straightforward and simple with no-fuss directions so it's a good book for beginners if you can still find it.  Since this recipe was so similar to the one I normally use, Buttery Tea Balls, I was also okay trying it for the first time for my dessert party as it seemed low-risk. It turned out all right.  I might prefer my Buttery Tea Ball recipe just a trifle more though, maybe as a sentimental as well as a flavor/texture favorite.  I will always likely make some form of Mexican Wedding Cakes for every holiday party by virtue of wanting to use my mitten-shaped serving dishes.  Mittens, "snowballs" - get it?

1 cup butter, room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped pecans

Powdered sugar

1.     Preheat the oven to 350˚F. 

2.     In a large bowl, beat together the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy.

3.     Gradually beat in flour and baking soda until well blended.  Stir in pecans.  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 1 ½ inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.  Or, roll dough by teaspoofuls into balls or crescent shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets. 

4.     Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown lightly.  Remove cookies from baking sheets; cool on racks.  While warm, sift powdered sugar generously over tops.

Makes 55 to 60 ( 1 ½ inch) cookies