Mexican Wedding Cookies

These teacakes go by many names, but the delicious taste remains the same: a sugar-covered almond cookie with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

This post contains affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy.

About Mexican Wedding Cookies

Whether you call them teacakes or cookies or snowballs, these Mexican wedding cookies have a trademark blend of nutty flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s great for any occasion.

Plus, their long shelf-life makes them perfect for gifting (and receiving!)

What are the other names for Mexican Wedding Cookies?

While a cookie connoisseur (or just a real legit baker) could probably argue the very subtle difference between these cookies, the average consumer probably knows them all as the same cookie. And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with appreciating all the subtle influences of extracts and flour – in fact, that’s one of the great things about baking – there’s also nothing wrong with loving a certain type of cookie simply because it’s a certain type of cookie.

So if you’re curious whether or not you’d like a Mexican wedding cookie, or if you might have seen a cookie like this before, check out the list below. If you’ve had any of these cookies before, I can assure you that you’ll like the Mexican wedding cookie because they’re all 95% the same.

• Mexican Teacakes
• Russian Teacakes
• Russian Wedding Cookies
• Snowballs
• Butterballs

So, why are they called Mexican Wedding Cookies?

While there is a deep history of Mexican weddings serving a variety of nutty fruitcakes and confections, the actual term Mexican wedding cookie did not become popular until American cookbooks started using it in the mid-1950s.

That’s not to say that these cookies wouldn’t be served at Mexican weddings – I’ve never had the pleasure of going to one to know from personal experience – but the name primarily comes from the heritage of the nutty flavor and the pretty white appearance (like wedding white).

What are Mexican Wedding Cookies made of?

As far as ingredients, wedding cookies usually consist of:

• Something to bring a nutty flavor, such as almond flour or almond extract.
• Classic baking ingredients, such as all-purpose flour, butter, salt, egg yolks, and baking powder.
• A sizeable dose of powdered sugar, both baked within and used as decoration, because the best cookies are sweet cookies.

The end result is an ultra-light and buttery cookie that’s covered in a dusting of powdered sugar.

Do you need to chill the dough?

This particular recipe calls for chilling the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes.

I know it can be frustrating to put your baking on hold, but when it comes to cookies, chilling the dough is totally worth the impact it has on your baking.

The short explanation for chilling has to do with the butter. The firmer the butter is at the time of baking, the slower it will melt, which makes cookies less likely to spread while baking. So, as a general rule of thumb, chilling the dough will lead to more dense, fluffy cookies while not chilling will lead to flatter, chewier cookies. This is not always the case, though. Whether you need to chill depends largely on the amount of butter used AND the composition of the other ingredients.

If you’d like a more indepth explanation of chilling dough (with examples!) then check out this article: To Chill or not to Chill.

Can you freeze Mexican wedding cookies?

Yes, you totally can! These cookies have a light and delicate texture that won’t lose their taste or texture from freezing.

For best results, let cookies cool completely before freezing. Be sure to store the cookies in an air-tight container for a freezer bag.

Cookies can be frozen for up to two months.

How long are Mexican wedding cookies good for?

Once prepared and cooled, Mexican wedding cookies can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for up to seven to 10 days.

How long does the powdered sugar coating last?

These cookies have a soft, yet dry, texture, so the iconic powdered sugar coating for these cookies should last – however, this could easily be impacted by temperature. If the cookies will be above room temperature at any time, they could begin to absorb the powdered sugar coating.

To avoid this, you could try any of the following:

• Store the cookies in the refrigerator or the freezer until ready to eat.
• Coat the cookies in a thin layer of granulated sugar, then coat in a thick layer of powdered sugar.
• Use a “non dissolving” powdered sugar coating instead of standard powdered sugar. I’ve personally never used a product like this, so I don’t have first hand knowledge on whether this will impact taste or texture, but I have heard good things from others who have tried it. King Arthor makes a brand of powdered sugar that does this.

Notes & tips for these Mexican teacakes

• As cookies rest, they may absorb the powdered sugar; this is normal. If this happens, just coat them with more powdered sugar for a freshly-made look.
• If you’re doing a lot of holiday baking, I highly recommend having some silicone baking mats on hand. Baking cookies takes enough time without having to cut or measure parchment paper.
• Plus, some quality baking sheets are a must for a cookie baking extravaganza!
• For this recipe, I highly recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. This recipe would be difficult to make by hand with a whisk.
• If you follow this recipe as it’s written, it says to remove the dough from the mixing bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap. I’ve found this to be the best for chilling dough, and if you’re baking a lot of cookies, it also helps you save valuable space in your refrigerator. However, if you really don’t want to deal with the plastic wrap, you could just cover the mixing bowl and chill it that way.

More fun cookie recipes

How to make Mexican wedding cookies

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a large bowl, add all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder salt, then whisk until mixed.

Step 2 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), beat together butter and powdered sugar until nice and smooth.

Step 3 – Reduce mixer speed and add in almond extract and egg. Mix until the egg looks incorporated, then scoop in the dry ingredients. Keep mixing until a light dough has formed.

Step 4 – Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, then scoop out the dough, roll it into a ball, and place it on the plastic wrap. Wrap up the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes.

Step 5 – When ready, remove the dough from the refrigerator and set up a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper or a baking mat) nearby. Pinch off about one tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this step until all the dough has been used.

Step 6 – Bake the cookies!

Step 7 – Allow the cookies to cool, then roll the baked cookies in powdered sugar.

Step 8 – Serve and enjoy!