These Mexican wedding cookies are delicate and double-coated in powdered sugar! Orange zest and orange blossom water add bright flavour.
This post first appeared January 22, 2015, and was last updated April 15, 2021.
We’ve lightly adapted this recipe for Mexican wedding cookies from one of our most fabulous former contributors, photographer and creative, Gabriel Cabrera. Mexican-born, Gab says though these sweet treats have gained popularity in the last few years, they are never actually served at Mexican weddings!
Mexican wedding cookies are sometimes also called Russian tea cakes, or snowball cookies. We double-coated this version in powdered sugar — rolling the cookies in sugar while still warm creates a light melted glaze. Once cool, the cookies are dusted with more sugar like a fresh sprinkling of snow. Mexican wedding cookies are buttery and rich, with a sandy melt-in-your-mouth texture reminiscent of shortbread.
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Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cardamom, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.
Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl. Sift in 1 cup (120 g) of powdered sugar.
Using a hand or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the orange blossom water and almond extract and mix to combine.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter. Mix on low until all of the flour is mixed in.
Add the rest of the flour and continue to mix until no bits of dry flour remain.
The dough will look very crumbly, but should be soft and stick together when squeezed between your hands.
Roll the dough into small balls, approximately 2 tablespoons (28 g) each, and arrange them on the baking sheets about 1-inch (3-mm) apart.
Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on wire racks for 5 minutes.
While the cookies are cooling sift the remaining cup (120 g) of powdered sugar onto a baking sheet or into a bowl.
Roll the still-warm cookies in the powdered sugar.
This first coating will melt into a light glaze on the cookies.
Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack, then sprinkle or roll with a second coating of powdered sugar. Serve with coffee or tea.
Tips & Notes
We used fine ground almond flour in this recipe and haven’t tested it with coarser ground almond meal.
Powdered sugar is also called confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
Make sure to use soft butter as it will be easier to cream with the powdered sugar.
Orange blossom water can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores, the international aisles of well-stocked grocery stores, or online. Used sparingly in cooking and baking, it has a fruity, floral aroma not easy to replicate. If you’re unable to get it, simply omit.
Store Mexican wedding cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to one month.
Substitutions
Make this recipe vegan-friendly by replacing the butter with a good quality dairy-free butter.
Replace cardamom with cinnamon or any other baking spice you like.
Use lemon zest instead of orange if you like.
Ground walnuts or pecans are often used instead of almond flour.
Light spelt flour can be substituted for all-purpose.
The almond extract can be replaced with any other extract you like or have on hand.
More Recipes With Almond Flour
Chocolate Chunk Cookies (vegan & gluten-free)
Chocolate Raspberry Almond Cake
Recipe
Mexican Wedding Cookies With Orange & Almond
These Mexican wedding cookies are delicate and double-coated in powdered sugar! Orange zest and orange blossom water add bright flavour.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1-¼ cups (125 g) almond flour
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Zest of one orange
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, soft
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cardamom, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.
- Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl. Sift in 1 cup (120 g) of powdered sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the orange blossom water and almond extract and mix to combine.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter. Mix on low until all of the flour is mixed in. Add the rest of the flour and continue to mix until no bits of dry flour remain. The dough will look very crumbly, but should be soft and stick together when squeezed between your hands.
- Roll the dough into small balls, approximately 2 tablespoons (28 g) each, and arrange them on the baking sheets about 1-inch (3-mm) apart. Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on wire racks for 5 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling sift the remaining cup (120 g) of powdered sugar onto a baking sheet or into a bowl. Roll the still-warm cookies in the powdered sugar. This first coating will melt into a light glaze on the cookies. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack, then sprinkle or roll with a second coating of powdered sugar. Serve with coffee or tea.
Notes
We used fine ground almond flour in this recipe and haven't tested it with coarser ground almond meal.
Powdered sugar is also called confectioner's sugar or icing sugar.
Orange blossom water can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores, the international aisles of well-stocked grocery stores, or online. Used sparingly in cooking and baking, it has a fruity, floral aroma not easy to replicate. If you’re unable to get it, simply omit.
Make sure to use soft butter as it will be easier to cream with the powdered sugar.
Store Mexican wedding cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to one month.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Make this recipe vegan-friendly by replacing the butter with a good quality dairy-free butter.
Replace cardamom with cinnamon or any other baking spice you like.
Lemon zest can be used in place of orange zest.
Ground walnuts or pecans are often used instead of almond flour.
Light spelt flour can be substituted for all-purpose.
The almond extract can be replaced with any other extract you like or have on hand.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
27Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 42Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.
Jessica | A Happy Food Dance says
I must’ve missed the whole Mexican wedding cookie resurgence – love these and love the strip on top! I also am intrigued about the orange water twist.
kristie {birch and wild} says
My mom always made Mexican wedding cookies for me while I was growing up, but honestly, these look so much better (don’t tell my mom). I love the white stripe!
lynsey | lynseylovesfood says
these are beautiful!!! love the modern-mexico-saveur twist vs. less all-inclusive-buffet..lol!! xo
Deborah Flowers says
Sounds heavenly!
Is there a recipe for orange blossom water? Or is it jus t weak orange juice?
Thanks!