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Home » Recipes » Cookies & Bars

Last Updated: Mar 10, 2023 by Angela Latimer · 7 Comments

Mexican Wedding Cookies

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Best Mexican wedding cookies recipe pin with tasty cookies served on a wooden cutting board with extra walnuts scattered around them and text heading overlay.

These Mexican wedding cookies are melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, and rich cookies that are truly irresistible! The dough itself is loaded with finely chopped nuts and uses no eggs for a texture that is both soft and crumbly. As a perfect finishing touch, the cookies are also rolled in powdered sugar!

Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe

These bite-sized cookies are almost too good to be true! Mexican wedding cookies (or Mexican wedding cakes) are crumbly and filled with a nutty flavor from the chopped walnuts and almond extract that is super tasty!

I really think these cookies are a perfect addition to any cookie platter or tray you may be serving! They have a unique flavor that can be enjoyed right alongside some classic chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies.

Delicious Mexican wedding cookies with the tender crumb filling shown in a bite shot on wooden cutting board.
These Mexican wedding cookies are crumbly, nutty, and amazingly sweet!
Jump to:
  • Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe
  • 🥘 Mexican Wedding Cookies Ingredients
  • 🔪 How To Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
  • 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
  • 🥡 Storing
  • ❓ Recipe FAQs
  • 🍪 More Delicious Cookie Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Comments & Reviews

Take a look at more of these delicious Mexican dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!

🥘 Mexican Wedding Cookies Ingredients

Mexican wedding cookies only use a few ingredients and are totally egg-free! I used walnuts in my cookies, but you can easily swap them out for any nut you may like!

Mexican wedding cookies ingredients measured out and ready to make the dough.
  • Butter - 1 cup of room temperature butter (16 tablespoons or 2 sticks).
  • Confectioners' Sugar - ½ cup of confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling.
  • Vanilla - 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
  • Almond Extract - 1 teaspoon of pure almond extract.
  • Salt - ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Flour - 2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted. Make sure to measure your flour using the spoon and level method rather than scooping it out of the container with your measuring cup.
  • Walnuts - ¾ cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans. If desired, you can use a food processor to chop the nuts finely.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Mexican Wedding Cookies

These cookies are quick and easy to make; there's nothing difficult about them! To get started, you'll need a baking sheet, a stand mixer or hand mixer, your measuring utensils, and a silicone spatula.

This recipe will make 36 sweet Mexican wedding cakes!

Mix The Mexican Wedding Cookie Dough

Mexican wedding cookies process photo 1 add the softened butter and confectioners' sugar.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 2 add the vanilla and almond extract plus the salt to the creamed butter and sugar.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 3 add the all-purpose flour.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 5 add the crushed walnuts to the combined cookie dough.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 6 then fold until the nuts are evenly distributed in the dough.
  1. Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick cooking mat.
  2. Cream. Use your stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl to cream 1 cup of butter and ½ cup of confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Then, mix in 1 teaspoon of both vanilla and almond extract as well as the salt.
  3. Add flour. Gradually add 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour to the creamed ingredients, mixing until combined in between each addition.
  4. Fold. Add ¾ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans and use a silicone spatula to fold them into the dough. *If your dough seems very soft, you can place the whole bowl into the fridge for 15-30 minutes to chill it.

Portion & Bake The Cookies

Mexican wedding cookies process photo 7 dough portioned and rolled into balls.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 8 rolled dough placed into a bowl of confectioners' sugar.
Mexican wedding cookies process photo 9 dough ball coated on all sides with powdered sugar.
  1. Roll the dough. Use your hands to roll the dough into balls about 1¼ inches in size, then place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  2. Bake. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until they have just begun turning a light golden color. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly until you can handle them with your hands.
  3. Roll in sugar. Roll the still-warm cookies in confectioners' sugar until fully coated, and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

For a Mexican-inspired dessert table, serve these cookies alongside some Tres Leches cake, Mexican pralines, Sopapilla cheesecake bars, and churros! Then, watch them all disappear! Enjoy!

Tasty Mexican wedding cookies baked to tender perfection and ready to enjoy once cooled.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

  • I recommend using high-quality European butter for the richest and best flavor! Kerrygold and Plugra are some of my favorites! 
  • If desired, you can roll your Mexican wedding cookies in a second coat of powdered sugar after they have completely cooled. It isn't necessary, but will make the cookies extra pretty!
  • For an extra layer of flavor, toast your walnuts! Just preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and place your chopped walnuts onto a parchment paper line baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the nuts are golden in color. They can burn easily, so make sure to keep an eye on them!
  • You can pulse your pecans or walnuts in the food processor if you want a finer consistency. 
  • If your dough is dry or crumbly, you can add in tiny amounts of water (no more than 2 teaspoons in total) until you've reached a good consistency. 

🥡 Storing

Keep your Mexican wedding cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

Best Mexican wedding cookies recipe bakes up tender and tasty like these cookies served on a cutting board with scattered walnuts.

❓ Recipe FAQs

Why Are They Called Mexican Wedding Cookies?

The actual origin of these cookies is pretty unclear. In fact, these cookies are enjoyed pretty much worldwide under various names. However, some historians theorize that the name "Mexican wedding cookies" was used to replace the term "Russian tea cakes," as these cookies are already incredibly similar, and the relationship between Russia and the US was tense.

Why Are My Mexican Wedding Cookies So Crumbly?

Mexican wedding cakes don't include eggs, which typically act as a binder in many cookie recipes. As a result, these cookies have a more crumbly texture than other varieties of cookies.
However, the dough should still come together. If needed, you can add tiny amounts of water (up to 1 teaspoon) to the dough.

Why Did My Mexican Wedding Cookies Flatten?

First, make sure you use room-temperature butter, not butter that is too cold or soft. If the butter is already too soft, it will melt quicker in the oven and cause your cookies to spread.
Additionally, ensure your ingredients are properly measured to have the correct ratio of dry to wet ingredients. Take a look at my guide on how to prevent cookies from flattening here.

Mexican wedding cookies on parchment paper with a small fine mesh strainer for sprinkling or dusting with more powdered sugar.

🍪 More Delicious Cookie Recipes

  • Pistachio Pudding Cookies - Tender and incredibly delicious cookies that use pistachio pudding mix!
  • Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar - Enjoy some sweet cinnamon sugar cookies even without this key ingredient!
  • Gingerdoodles - A tasty cookie that combines snickerdoodles and gingersnaps!
  • Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Fluffy and soft chocolate chip cookies that everyone can enjoy!
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - Chewy cookies that combine three beloved flavors!
  • Dark Chocolate Cookies - Rich and decadent cookies that are made for chocolate lovers!

Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card

Best Mexican wedding cookies recipe bakes up tender and tasty like these cookies served on a cutting board with scattered walnuts.
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5 from 9 reviews

Mexican Wedding Cookies

These Mexican wedding cookies are melt-in-your-mouth, buttery, and rich cookies that are truly irresistible! The dough itself is loaded with finely chopped nuts and uses no eggs for a texture that is both soft and crumbly. As a perfect finishing touch, the cookies are also rolled in powdered sugar!
Author | Angela Latimer
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 94kcal
Prep 5 minutes minutes
Cooking 15 minutes minutes
Cooling Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup butter (room temperature)
  • ½ cup confectioners sugar (plus more for rolling)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, sifted)
  • ¾ cup walnuts (finely chopped, or pecans)

(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick cooking mat.
  • Use your stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl to cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Then, mix in the vanilla and almond extract as well as the salt.
  • Gradually add the sifted all-purpose flour to the creamed ingredients, mixing until combined in between each addition.
  • Add the chopped walnuts or pecans and use a silicone spatula to fold them into the dough. *If your dough seems very soft, you can place the whole bowl into the fridge for 15-30 minutes to chill it.
  • Use your hands to roll the dough into balls that are about 1¼ inches in size then place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches in between each cookie.
  • Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have just begun turning a light golden color. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly until you can handle them with your hands.
  • Roll the still-warm cookies in confectioners' sugar until fully coated and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

  • I recommend using high-quality European butter for the richest and best flavor! Kerrygold and Plugra are some of my favorites! 
  • If desired, you can roll your Mexican wedding cookies in a second coat of powdered sugar after they have completely cooled. It isn't necessary, but will make the cookies extra pretty!
  • For an extra layer of flavor, toast your walnuts! Just preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and place your chopped walnuts onto a parchment paper line baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the nuts are golden in color. They can burn easily, so make sure to keep an eye on them!
  • You can pulse your pecans or walnuts in the food processor if you want a finer consistency. 
  • If your dough is dry or crumbly, you can add in tiny amounts of water (no more than 2 teaspoons in total) until you've reached a good consistency. 
  • To store: Keep your Mexican wedding cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. 

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 7g (2%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 7g (11%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg (5%) | Sodium: 57mg (2%) | Potassium: 20mg (1%) | Fiber: 0.4g (2%) | Sugar: 2g (2%) | Vitamin A: 158IU (3%) | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 5mg (1%) | Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Cookies & Bars Recipes, Dessert Recipes
Cuisine Mexican
« Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Easter Lamb Dinner Menu »

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Comments

    5 from 9 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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  1. John says

    December 29, 2024 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for including metric measurements. Baking is much more foolproof when weighing ingredients.

    Reply
  2. Linda says

    December 14, 2024 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    This worked exactly as written, thanks!

    Reply
  3. Rocio Cruz says

    November 14, 2024 at 6:36 pm

    Can you freeze the dough?

    Reply
    • Angela Latimer says

      November 15, 2024 at 9:29 am

      Yes, definitely! Freeze the dough shaped as balls on a baking sheet then transfer into bags or containers. Or, roll the dough into a log shape and bake later as a slice and bake cookie.

      Reply
      • Sandy R. says

        December 22, 2024 at 6:45 pm

        Hi, Angela - can you use Gluten Free flour in this recipe instead of wheat flour?

      • Angela Latimer says

        December 22, 2024 at 10:24 pm

        Yes, I like King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill GF flours for an easy 1:1 swap. Thanks for asking!

  4. Caroline Dazalla says

    March 22, 2023 at 8:55 pm

    5 stars
    The recipe seems to be exactly l I ke my mother in laws recipe she passed down to family. Thou hers only asks for vanilla bean extract. From experience, I bake these cookies for all my 7 siblings, nieces and nephews for Christmas and as Christmas gifts.. becausethat is all they want lol. I double up the recipe and refrigerate it. I take then out and use a spoon or cookie scooper. One time they were all crumbled when I did not put enough flour thou that did not stop my family from eating it lol. I have not tried your version thou will do so this month will let you know .. I will refrugerate the dough so as to not handle the dough too much and control the consistence. Thank you for recipe.

    Reply

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Author bio photo with cake.

Hi there, I'm Angela

I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, cook, baker, and total foodie. I love sharing new, fun, creative recipes and great classic recipes, just like my Grandma used to make! Every recipe on BIWL is tested to ensure that cooks of any experience level can succeed.

Welcome to Bake It With Love. Enjoy!

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