Savor the spirit of the season🎄with these citrusy Mexican Wedding Cookies.
A perfect tea companion for Mate Cocido, coffee, or tea, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are coated in powdered sugar, full of coconutty and tart lemony flavor, and boasting just the right sweetness.
These Mexican Wedding Cookies are a perfect snack or dessert. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
For more Pecan-Inspired Cookies, check out these recipes: Pecan Snowball Cookies, Fig Cookies with Pecans, Oatmeal Cookies with Coconuts and Pecans, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oats, Perfect chocolate chip cookies, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
Note: The full instructions are provided on the recipe card below.
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until slightly darkened, about 10 minutes; let cool completely.
Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground - do not over-pulse, as you don't want a paste.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 confectioner's sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, lime zest, coconut, and ground pecans; cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until well combined.
Transfer the cookie dough to a medium bowl, cover it tightly, and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If it has been chilling for 3+ hours, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls.
The cookie dough will be very stiff after being in the fridge that long. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Scoop the mixture into rounded tablespoon-sized rounds, roll them between your hands into balls, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets at least 1 to 2 inches apart.
Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until lightly golden on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes.
(While waiting for the other Mexican wedding cookies to bake, place the prepared baking sheets with the cookies in the freezer; this reduces excess spreading).
Let the Mexican wedding cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat them thoroughly. Be careful when handling cookies, as they are very fragile.
Next, place the cookies on wire racks to cool completely; it's best to do so on a wire rack so the powdered sugar doesn't become moist. When fully cool, roll again with the confectioner's sugar.
More Cookies Recipes:
- Guava Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Dulce de leche
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
📖 Recipe
Easy Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 226 g (2 sticks or ½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 65 g 1 cup confectioners' sugar , plus about 1 cup more for coating
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 250 g 2 cup all-purpose flour , spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 38 g ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon zest
- 85 g ⅔ cups pecans finely chopped
Instructions
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until slightly darkened, about 10 minutes; let cool completely. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground - do not over-pulse, as you don't want a paste.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 confectioner's sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, lime zest, coconut, and ground pecans; cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until well combined. Transfer the cookie dough to a medium bowl, cover it tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- If chilling for 3+ hours, make sure you let the cookie dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling it into balls; the cookie dough will be very stiff after being in the fridge that long. Preheat the oven to 350°F and Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Scoop into rounded tablespoon-sized rounds and roll between your hands into balls, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets at least 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until lightly golden on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. (While waiting for the other Mexican wedding cookies to bake, place the prepared baking sheets with the cookies in the freezer; this reduces excess spreading).
- Let the Mexican wedding cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat thoroughly. Be careful when handling cookies, as they are very fragile. Next, place the Cookies on wire racks to cool completely; it's best on a wire rack, so the powdered sugar doesn't become moist. When fully cool, roll again with the confectioner's sugar.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.