Description
These Russian Tea Cakes are a classic buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie dusted in powdered sugar. They are simple to make and perfect for holidays or any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (90 g) finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
- Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract
- Optional: Zest of 1/2 orange or lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour and salt to the butter mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the finely chopped nuts. If the dough is too soft, chill it for 15 minutes.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops remain pale.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Gently roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar.
- Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, roll each cookie in powdered sugar a second time for a snowy finish.
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter for best results.
- Do not overbake; the tops should stay pale.
- Rolling the cookies while warm helps the sugar adhere better.
- Finely chop nuts to prevent cracking.
- Use a small cookie scoop for uniform sizes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g