Let's bake some tasty and buttery Russian Tea Cookies! This recipe is easy to follow and will provide you with the best Russian Tea Cookies you've ever tasted. We'll also discuss what sets these cookies apart from Mexican wedding cookies, why they can crumble, and other frequently asked questions.
Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar
First, let's combine the unsalted butter and white granulated sugar. Imagine a stand mixer with a paddle or a hand mixer with beaters creaming softened unsalted butter and white granulated sugar in a pale beige ceramic bowl. It will start out as separate components and turn into a pale yellow, light, airy cream.
Step 2: Adding Vanilla Extract
Then we'll add a pinch of vanilla extract for taste. Imagine a transparent glass measuring spoon spilling out a small amount of dark amber-colored vanilla extract into the pale yellow butter and sugar mixture in the mixing bowl.
Step 3: Adding the Dry Ingredients
And now the time has come to carefully add the all-purpose flour and ground nuts (e.g., walnuts or pecans). Imagine a sifter sprinkling lightly white all-purpose flour into the creamed sugar and butter bowl with a handful of coarsely chopped light brown walnuts.
Step 4: Shaping the Cookie Dough Balls
Once the dough comes together, we'll roll it into small balls about the size of a walnut. Picture hands rolling pale beige cookie dough into neat round balls on a well-surfaced, light-colored countertop with a light dusting of flour.
Step 5: Baking the Russian Tea Cookies
Space the balls of dough on a piece of parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly bake. Imagine a shiny silver baking sheet lined with white parchment paper, filled with rows of light beige, round cookie dough balls inside a warm, lit oven.
Parchment Paper
Step 6: Coating with Powdered Sugar
Once cooled slightly, roll the warm cookies in mounds of powdered sugar. Picture a shallow white dish filled to the brim with a thick layer of white powdered sugar, and a few light golden brown round cookies being mixed around and coated until completely white.
Step 7: Double Coating (Optional but Highly Recommended)
For a final touch of sweetness, chill the cookies until they are completely cool and roll them in powdered sugar again. Imagine a platter piled high with perfectly rounded, snow-white Russian Tea Cookies, plentifully second-coated with powdered sugar.
Classic Russian Tea Cookies Recipe
- Makes: Approximately 2 dozen cookies
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 12-15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) soft unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ground nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour and ground nuts.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, just until combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden along edges.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two. While still warm, roll them in powdered sugar until well coated.
- Let the cookies cool entirely on a wire rack. Once cooled, roll them in powdered sugar again for a thicker coating, if preferred.
Russian Tea Cookies Recipe Easy
This recipe simplifies the process without losing the traditional buttery flavor and lightness.
Best Russian Tea Cookies Recipe
With the right combination of butter, sugar, and nuts, this recipe will become the best you've ever had! The double powdered sugar coating is the key.
Russian Cookies Recipe / Classic Russian Cookies
These cookies are a revered part of Russian cooking tradition, typically consumed with the holidays or with tea.
Buttery Russian Tea Cookies
The high amount of butter in this recipe ensures a heavenly, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth taste.
Why do my Russian tea cakes crumble?
Russian tea cakes crumble if:
- Too much flour: Ensure that you measure the flour properly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a straight edge, not from the bag.
- Insufficient binder: While this recipe does not traditionally include eggs, ensure that the butter is well creamed with the sugar to create a firm base.
- Overmixing: Overmixing the dough after adding the flour can develop the gluten, leading to a more fragile cookie. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Warm butter: If the butter is too warm or melted, the cookies may spread and become more prone to crumbling. The butter should be softened but still cool.
Russian Tea Cakes vs. Mexican Wedding Cookies
While both cookies are tiny, round, nutty, and powdered with sugar, there are distinctions in subtle nuances:
- Fat source: Russian tea cakes call for butter alone traditionally, but Mexican wedding cookies often contain shortening or lard with butter.
- Flavorings: Russian tea cakes typically have vanilla extract as the flavoring, while Mexican wedding cookies can have a hint of almond extract or spices.
- Texture: Russian tea cakes will be crisper and denser, while Mexican wedding cookies are lighter and melt-in-your-mouth.
What are Russian tea cookies made of?
Traditional Russian tea cookies are made up of butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, and finely ground nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds). They are then coated with a generous amount of powdered sugar.
What is the difference between Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cookies?
The big differences are based on fat source (Russian tea cakes use only butter, while Mexican wedding cookies may use shortening or lard) and flavorings (Russian tea cakes typically use vanilla, while Mexican wedding cookies may use almond extract or spices). The texture is also slightly different, with Russian tea cakes being a bit denser.
How to bake Russian tea balls?
Russian tea balls (also referred to as these cookies) typically bake for 12-15 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until pale golden edges are visible.
Why are they called Russian tea cakes?
The name "Russian tea cakes" likely originated because these sweet, dainty biscuits were traditionally served with tea in Russian culture. Even though the name is "cake," they are indeed crumbly, cookie-like delicacies.
0 Comments