Mexican Wedding Cookies (AKA Snowball Cookies) with a Kiss!

Although the name implies that its made specifically for weddings, nothing says Christmas like Mexican wedding cookies. You may know it as Russian Tea Cakes  or snowball cookies. The Russian cookies are often made with hazelnuts, while Mexican cookies typically call for pecans. You could use anything from almonds to walnuts. 

The toasted nuts are mixed into an un-sweet butter cookie base, baked in little balls and then rolled while still warm in powdered sugar - they melt in your mouth. They are great to make with kids as they love to chop the nuts and roll the dough in their hands. 

After the cookies have cooled a bit, you roll the warm cookies in powered sugar.

This year I have been making cookies with a twist and added Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses to our Mexican wedding cookies.  

These cookies would be great for Valentine's Day.

Mexican a Wedding Cookies, adapted from Joy of Cooking

1 cup fine to slightly coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts or other nuts ( the Oilier the nuts, the softer the cookies)
1/2 lb butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1 package of Hershey's Kisses, with the wrapper removed
1/3 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, or until lightly brown and fragrant. Once the nuts have cooled completely place them, along with 2 tablespoons of the flour from the recipe, into your food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and process until they are slightly coarse to fine but not powdery or oily.

Next in the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and 1/2 c sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the remaining flour and salt and beat until combined. Stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour or until firm. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Press about a tablespoon of chilled dough around each Hershey Kiss, covering well so that the entire chocolate kiss is covered. Pat smooth with your palms and flatten slightly into a mound. Place mound on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough and kisses until gone. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Be mindful to not over handle to dough as the warmth from you hands melts the butter.

Kids love to form the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Rotate about half way. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Roll the cookies in powdered sugar until coated.

They keep well for up to two weeks in a tightly sealed container, and freeze well too. You'll want to make a double batch, one to give away and one to keep for yourself.

What about you? Do you bake for the holidays?