These fresh milled Mexican wedding cookies are the perfect treat for afternoon coffee: tender, buttery, and rolled in a generous dusting of powdered sugar, with just enough nutty crunch to keep every bite interesting. They’re not overly sweet, which makes them dangerously easy to eat more than one. Fresh milled flour works beautifully in these cookies, adding flavor and nutrition while maintaining the crumbly, buttery texture.
I like to keep a batch of these around for a little treat after breakfast or alongside tea in the afternoon. They’re perfect when you want just a little something sweet. I also love that they’re such an easy, adaptable cookie. I’ve made them with all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour, but until now, I hadn’t tried them with fresh milled flour. I’m very pleased with the results. Their soft, tender, slightly crumbly texture works beautifully with fresh milled flour, no changes required.
Fresh Milled Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
If you love wedding cookies or snowball cookies, you’ll love these. Although, I will say if you already have a favorite recipe, chances are you can just swap in fresh milled and it will work just fine. If you don’t, then read on. This recipe is quick and easy to make, the dough is easy to handle, and one batch makes a lot. They’re great for snacking at home or as a light dessert. They also go perfectly on a cookie tray, perhaps along with snickerdoodles or peanut butter cookies.
Tips for Success
- Use a cookie scoop. This makes for consistently-sized cookies.
- Note the higher temperature. These bake at 400°F. The higher heat helps the cookies set quickly so they hold their shape instead of spreading out.
- You’re in control of the extra sugar. If you prefer a white “snowball” look, roll the cookies 2 to 3 times in the powdered sugar. If you prefer less sugar, a light dusting will work. I’ve even left some “naked” and those were great too.
Ingredients
Key Ingredients
Flour: I used fresh milled unsifted soft white flour. I think other soft grains would work well but I haven’t tested with any others yet.
Butter: I used 2 sticks regular salted butter. Cool room temperature is best so that it mixes well with the sugar but it’s not overly soft.
Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar is key for the proper texture. You’ll need powdered sugar in the dough and additional sugar to coat the cookies.
Cinnamon: This is optional but I really like the flavor it adds to the cookies. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t love cinnamon in everything like I do.
Nuts: I used pecans for the cookies pictured, but I’ve also used walnuts and both work equally well. You’ll want to chop them finely so you still get some texture and crunch, but the dough holds together without large chunks of nuts breaking it apart.
Other ingredients: You will also need basic pantry ingredients including salt and vanilla.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar and mix in vanilla.
Step 2: Add flour and mix to combine.
Step 3: Add chopped nuts.
Step 4: Mix to combine. Dough will be stiff but pliable and should stick together well.
Step 5: Scoop dough and roll each portion into balls.
Step 6: After baking, allow to cool for about 10 minutes and then roll in powdered sugar. Repeat after cookies are completely cool, if desired.
One Cookie, So Many Names
These cookies are known by a bunch of different names. I’ve seen them called Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Snowball Cookies, Butterballs, and more. They’re all pretty similar, though some details differ. Some traditionally use pecans, some walnuts, and some other nuts entirely. Some use finely chopped nuts while others grind them into more of a meal. Whatever you call them, these buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are hard to resist.
FAQs
Can I use different flour?
Yes. I have had success making these with all-purpose flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, and now fresh milled flour. Each one has a little different texture but all of them work just fine.
If using fresh milled flour, I have only tested them with soft white so far.
Can I make these ahead of time?
The dough can be refrigerated for a couple of hours before making the cookies. I found that dough refrigerated overnight tended to spread more, so I don’t think that’s a great option if you’re going for a more classic look.
I haven’t actually tried this, but if you need to make them further ahead, I would roll the dough into balls and freeze them. You can then bake them from frozen, though you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
Why did the powdered sugar disappear after rolling?
This happens because the sugar gets absorbed by the cookie. It’s most likely to happen when they’re still warm. If you want a completely white look, roll them again once completely cool.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Fresh Milled Peanut Butter Cookies
Fresh Milled Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fresh Milled Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 270 grams fresh milled flour, see notes
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon, optional
- 1 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans)
- Additional powdered sugar for rolling baked cookies
Instructions
- In medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla.
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, scraping bowl a couple times as needed. Mix in chopped nuts.
- Rest dough for about 10 minutes. If dough seems too sticky to work with, refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Roll dough into 1 ¼” balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-11 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove them from baking sheet and roll them in powdered sugar. Cool completely on wire rack.
- For a snowier look, roll again in powdered sugar once the cookies are completely cool.
Notes
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