This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Russian Tea Cakes

Russian Tea Cakes are one of those timeless holiday cookies that never go out of style. These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are coated in powdered sugar and packed with finely chopped nuts, giving them their signature delicate texture. They’re simple to make with just a handful of pantry ingredients and are perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday parties, weddings, cookie exchanges, or anytime you’re craving a classic homemade treat.

You may also know these cookies as Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Snowball Cookies, or Butterballs. While the names vary, the delicious buttery cookie remains a favorite around the world.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture
• Easy to make with simple ingredients
• Perfect for holiday baking and cookie exchanges
• Freezes beautifully
• Only a few minutes of prep
• Great make-ahead cookie

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened (not melted)
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Additional powdered sugar for coating

Equipment

• Food processor/chopper
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Cookie sheet
• Cooling rack

How to Make Russian Tea Cakes

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add the flour, chopped nuts, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
4. Roll the dough into approximately 1-inch balls and place them about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are just beginning to turn golden brown.
6. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
7. While still warm, gently roll each cookie in powdered sugar.
8. Allow the cookies to cool completely, then roll them in powdered sugar a second time for the classic snowy finish.

Tips for the Best Russian Tea Cakes

• Use room temperature butter for easier mixing.
• Finely chop the nuts so the cookies hold together well.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies should stay pale on top with lightly browned bottoms.
• Roll the cookies in powdered sugar while they’re still warm so the first coating sticks.
• A second coating after they cool creates the beautiful white finish these cookies are known for.

Variations

Pecan Russian Tea Cakes

Pecans are the traditional choice and provide a rich, buttery flavor.

Walnut Snowball Cookies

Walnuts add a slightly earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet powdered sugar.

Almond Wedding Cookies

Finely chopped almonds create a slightly firmer cookie with a delicate nutty flavor.

Citrus Twist

Add ½ teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the dough for a subtle citrus flavor.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks.

Can You Freeze Russian Tea Cakes?

Yes! These cookies freeze very well.

• Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Thaw at room temperature.
• If needed, roll them in a fresh coating of powdered sugar before serving.

You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

What Nuts Work Best?

This recipe works well with:

• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Almonds

Whichever nut you choose, chop them very finely so the cookies keep their tender texture.

Serving Suggestions

Russian Tea Cakes are delicious served with:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Hot chocolate
• Eggnog during the holidays
• A holiday cookie platter

They’re also wonderful for cookie exchanges, gift tins, and Christmas dessert tables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Russian Tea Cakes crumbly?

These cookies are naturally tender and delicate because they’re made with a high ratio of butter to flour. Be sure to measure the flour accurately and mix only until the dough comes together.

Why do you roll them in powdered sugar twice?

The first coating melts slightly into the warm cookies, while the second coating gives them their classic snowy appearance.

Can I make these without nuts?

The nuts help create the traditional texture and flavor. While you can omit them, the cookies will have a different consistency.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes if it’s too firm to scoop.

Why are they called Russian Tea Cakes?

The exact origin is debated, and similar cookies are made in many countries. Over time they’ve become known by several names, including Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and Butterballs.

Can I use salted butter?

Yes. If using salted butter, you can reduce or omit the added ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Recipe Notes

• Make sure your butter is softened but not melted.
• Roll the cookies gently while they’re warm so they don’t fall apart.
• Let them cool completely before storing to prevent the powdered sugar coating from becoming sticky.

Print Recipe

Russian Tea Cakes

Also known as: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies or Snowball Cookies.

Course: Dessert

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 149kcal

Equipment

• Food Processor/Chopper
• Stand Mixer
• Cookie Sheet

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (softened-not melted)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Powdered sugar to roll cookies in

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400°.
• Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add flour, nuts, and salt. Mix just until the dough holds together.
• Shape dough into balls, approx. 1 inch round and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, an inch apart.
• Bake for 10 minutes, until set, just the bottoms should be golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
• While the cookies are still warm roll them in powdered sugar. Finish cooling cookies on a wire rack and roll in powdered sugar again.

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

SaleBestseller No. 1

Hamilton Beach Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper for Slicing, Shredding, Mincing, and Puree, 10 Cups + Easy Clean Bowl Scraper, Stainless Steel (70730)

• Built-in bowl scraper saves time. Quickly process ingredients without stopping to use a spatula. Simply move the scraper from side-to-side to scrape the bowl while the food processor is running or the power is off — no need to remove the lid.
• Slice, shred, chop, mix and puree with 2 versatile attachments. The Hamilton Beach food processor gives you 5 processing functions and includes a stainless steel slicing/shredding disc and chopping/pureeing blade so you can tackle every job with ease.
• Powerful 450 watt motor. Make healthy salads, homemade salsa, hearty acai bowls and more. The 450 watt motor easily powers through the toughest ingredients, so you can spend less time processing and more time enjoying.
• Precise control with 2 speeds plus pulse. The low and high speeds plus pulse give you the control you need for a variety of recipes. Use the high speed when you need more power and select the low speed for processing or mixing delicate foods.
• 10 cup bowl capacity. The generous 10 cup bowl fits large volumes of food all at once, and the large feed chute saves you time by reducing the need to pre-cut food before processing or using as a vegetable chopper.

−$9.96 $59.99

Buy on Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 2

Hamilton Beach 3 Cup Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor

• Simply stack and press to chop: The patented stack & press design makes it easy to assemble and use. Simply press the lid to chop and release to stop. Since all you do is stack the lid on top of the bowl, no difficult twist-locking is needed.
• Perfect size for everyday use: Chop and mix up to 3 cups of ingredients every day of the week with this 3 cup chopper. It's the perfect size for everyday use, yet small enough for easy storage.
• Easily chop, puree and emulsify with stainless steel blades: Durable stainless steel blades make easy work of a multitude of ingredients including onions, carrots and nuts. Oil dispenser on lid makes it easy to emulsify dressings, dips and sauces.
• Easy to clean: The bowl, lid and removable blades of the Hamilton Beach chopper are all dishwasher safe.
• Power through tough ingredients: This small food chopper has a 350 watt motor to provide all the power you need to prepare all types of food including onions, nuts, herbs, hummus, dressings and homemade baby food.

−$3.36 $21.59

Buy on Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 1

OLIXIS 6.3 Qt Stand Mixer, 10-Speed Tilt-Head Electric Mixer for Baking

• Motor and Speed Options: OLIXIS packs a 300W motor with ten speed levels to mix anything from stiff pizza dough to runny cake batter Rivals well-known kitchen stand mixers for all your home baking projects
• Essential Baking Tools Included: Arrives with a dough hook, wire whisk, and flat beater similar to expensive kitchen appliances This ready-to-use kitchen mixer gives you everything needed for bakery-quality results from day one
• All-in-One Lid with Six Features: The clever bowl cover combines six helpful kitchen tools including magnifier, slicer, egg separator, measuring cup, scale, and serrated edge to boost your stand mixer's usefulness and save counter space
• Size and Color Selections: OLIXIS lets you choose between 4.2Qt and 6.3Qt bowls plus Black or Blue exteriors to match your cooking space and meal size This premium-grade versatility makes your stand mixer ideal for preparing breads or desserts
• Solid Build and Affordable Quality: Crafted from safe, simple-to-clean materials for long-lasting daily use Provides high-level performance at a reasonable price, competing with discounted premium kitchen mixers for years of reliable service

−$35.00 $54.99

Buy on Amazon

Bestseller No. 2

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer K45SS, Onyx Black

• Built to take it all on with the durable and built-to-last metal construction, and 59 touchpoints around the mixer bowl for great mixing results.
• 4.5 Quart Stainless Steel Bowl to mix up to 8 dozen cookies in a single batch. Dishwasher safe. Using the flat beater; 28g dough each
• Easily add ingredients with the tilt-head design, because you'll have better access to the bowl - lock the head in place while mixing
• 10 speeds for nearly any task or recipe, from mixing ingredients together on the stir speed, to whipping cream at speed 8, you'll get thorough ingredient incorporation every time
• 10 plus attachments to make more with your mixer to make everything from fresh pasta to burgers, veggie noodles, ice cream and more, sold separately

$399.95

Buy on Amazon

Bestseller No. 1

GoodCook Everyday Nonstick Baking Sheet Set, 3 Pack Includes Small (13×9) Medium (15×1) and Large (17×11) Pans Carbon Steel Construction Cookie Sheets Bakeware Set, Gray

• SET OF 3 BAKING SHEETS: GoodCook’s Nonstick Cookie Sheet Set comes with a small 13” x 9”, medium 15” x 10” and large 17” x 11” baking sheet to provide the perfect options for any of your baking needs.
• EVEN BAKE, EVERY TIME: The heavy-duty gauge baking pans in this bakeware set ensure long-lasting durability and even heat distribution, providing thorough baking for delicious results.
• MADE WITH DURABLE CARBON STEEL: Constructed from carbon steel material, these kitchen pans resist warping and scratching to provide long-lasting durability and maintain daily use in your home kitchen.
• SCRATCH-RESISTANT NONSTICK COATING: This baking set features a scratch-resistant nonstick coating for a mess-free release to serve your baked goods from the pan. It is a GoodCook exclusive formula that performs better than other single-coat systems.
• DISHWASHER SAFE: This nonstick bakeware set is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup after use, however, hand washing is recommended for longer-lasting use.

$17.99

Buy on Amazon

Bestseller No. 2

GoodCook Everyday Nonstick Steel Baking Sheet, 17 x 11-Inch, Gray

• 17x11-INCH COOKIE SHEET: Ensures a perfect bake every time for your favorite recipes, from cookies and other desserts to sheet pan dinners. This large baking sheet is perfect for all your baking needs.
• PROVIDES EVEN HEAT DISTRIBUTION: Distributes heat evenly for thorough baking. The wider lip on the sides of the pan makes it easier to grasp, ensuring safe handling when getting it in and out of the oven.
• SCRATCH-RESISTANT NONSTICK COATING: Scratch-resistant and dishwasher-safe nonstick coating provides excellent release while also making clean up quick and easy. This nonstick baking sheet is designed for convenience.
• CONVENIENT AND VERSATILE: Metal spatula safe, allowing you to serve your baked goods right off the sheet. This versatile baking tray is a must-have for any kitchen.
• MADE WITH DURABLE STEEL: Made with heavy-duty gauge steel to resist warping and offer high-quality baking for years to come. This cookie sheet is built to last and provide reliable performance.

Buy on Amazon