Description
Russian Tea Cakes are delicious, buttery cookies rolled in powdered sugar, offering a sweet, snowball-like finish. This cherished recipe, brought from Lithuania, has been a festive family favorite for generations.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
For Rolling
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar, or more as needed
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all listed ingredients to ensure a smooth preparation process.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Vanilla: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar to evenly distribute the sugar before adding to the butter mixture.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the flour and sugar mixture to the creamed butter, stirring until just combined. Then fold in the chopped walnuts. The dough may be slightly crumbly.
- Form Cookies: Scoop small amounts of dough and roll between your hands to form 1-inch balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake: Place the cookie sheets in the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for about 15 minutes.
- Roll in Sugar: Pour the remaining ⅓ cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll each cooled cookie in the sugar once or twice to achieve the signature snowy coating.
- Serve and Enjoy: Your Russian Tea Cakes are now ready to be enjoyed with family and friends during the holiday season or any time of year.
Notes
- For best results, use finely chopped walnuts to ensure they mix evenly into the dough.
- You can adjust the amount of powdered sugar for coating according to your sweetness preference.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to a week.
- For a nut-free version, try substituting walnuts with finely chopped pecans or omit nuts altogether.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Eastern European
