Print

The Best Classic Melt-in-Your-Mouth Russian Tea Cakes (Snowball Cookies)

A stack of powdered sugar-dusted Russian tea cakes, with one broken open revealing a nutty interior.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Bake these classic Russian Tea Cakes, also known as Snowball Cookies, for a buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth holiday treat dusted in powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Stir in the finely chopped nuts by hand.
  6. Scoop the dough into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are barely set and very light gold. The cookies should remain pale.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
  9. Once the cookies are completely cool, pour a generous amount of extra powdered sugar into a shallow bowl.
  10. Roll each cooled cookie in the powdered sugar until fully coated.
  11. For a thicker coating, roll the cookies a second time in fresh powdered sugar after the first coating has set for about 15 minutes.

Notes

  • Use room temperature butter for proper creaming; this helps prevent the cookies from spreading while baking.
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping if your kitchen is warm; cold dough yields a better, more crumbly texture.
  • For the best ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ result, use finely chopped nuts.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/best-classic-russian-tea-cakes-melt-mouth-cookies/