Pecan Butter Balls Mexican Wedding Cakes Recipe

Pecan Butterball Cookies & Russian Teacakes Rolled in Powdered Sugar

Nov 24, 2008 Donna Diegel

Perfect recipe for Christmas cookie exchanges. These snow-white Mexican Wedding Cakes & Pecan Butter Balls are made with ground pecans & rolled in confectioners' sugar.

Also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes and Russian Teacakes, these Pecan Butter Balls are also spelled Pecan Butterballs. Whatever the spelling, Pecan Butter Ball cookies are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Christmas Cookie Exchange Cookies

Even though Pecan Butter Balls are very tender, they will stand up to crowded Christmas cookie platter. The striking snow-white Pecan Butterballs will pop out amid the otherwise brown landscape of the rest of the Christmas cookies on the tray. Cookie exchanges are a great place to showcase these beautiful cookies. Bring extra, they're sure to disappear fast!

Pecan Butter Balls Cookie Recipe

1 pound (2 cups) butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups toasted pecans, chopped very fine or ground in a food processor
2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar for dusting and rolling

Directions: How To Make Pecan Butter Balls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For the best flavor, toast the pecans first. Place whole or halved pecans on an ungreased sheet pan and toast in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring a few times until light brown and fragrant. Let cool and set aside. Grind in a food processor when cool.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with vegetable shortening spray.
Using a stand mixer or heavy duty hand mixer with the beater attachment, beat butter on medium to high speed about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and beat again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla extract and salt and beat again.
Turn the mixer to low. Add flour and ground pecans to the mixing bowl 1 cup at a time, scraping the bowl a few times. At this point, the mixer will slow down. Mix only until dry ingredients are blended.
Using a cookie scoop, ice cream scoop or Tablespoon, measure cookie batter in 1 inch balls and place on prepared pans leaving a little room between cookies to allow for spreading.
Bake in 350 degree over for 14 minutes or until cookies are almost firm and the edges are lightly browned. Let cool just enough to handle.
Meanwhile, measure 2 cups of confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. Sift the sugar if necessary to remove all lumps.
Working with about 6 warm cookies at a time, roll them in the bowl of confectioners' sugar until they're completely coated. Place on a clean parchment covered cookie sheet.
When the cookies are all coated, start over again, and roll them in powdered sugar a second time. Shake off excess and place on cookies sheets.
Let cool completely and layer between waxed or parchment paper before storing them in an airtight container.
Makes 60 melt-in-your-mouth pecan butter balls!

More Christmas Cookies:

Soft Sugar Cookie Cookies - Soft & buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie recipe made with cream of tartar and rolled in red & green sugar.

Classic Shortbread Cookies - Tastes just like the famous Scottish Walkers Shortbread Cookies. These are classic Christmas cookies at their finest!

Cherry Kisses Cookies - Pink and pretty with a Hershey's Kiss on top! Perfect for Christmas cookie platters!

Snickerdoodles Cookies - Old-fashioned, made-from-scratch cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam - With their bright red raspberry jam center, these festive Thumbprint cookies will liven up every Christmas cookie platter.

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