Russian Tea Cakes are tender and buttery on the inside, studded with crunchy walnuts and rolled in powdered sugar. They dissolve in your mouth and you won’t be able to stop at just one.
This is also one of the easiest cookie recipes. We have perfected it over the years. Read on to learn the KEY to making the best Russian Tea Cakes.
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Russian tea cakes are one of our favorite Christmas cookies and a staple of holiday cookie platters, right up there with classic Sugar Cookies. Just like our Almond Snowball Cookies, these look like adorable little snowballs.
What are Russian Tea Cakes?
Russian Tea Cakes are also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes or Snowball Cookies. The cookie dough contains nuts, usually walnuts or pecans which gives the cookies a nutty flavor and slight crunch.
The butter in the cookie dough makes the cookies tender and powdery and they almost dissolve in your mouth. The cookies are rolled in powdered sugar twice to give them a white coating making them look like snowballs.
Ingredients for Russian Tea Cakes
- All-purpose flour – be sure the flour is measured correctly.
- Unsalted butter – softened at room temperature. Gives the cookies a tender crumb. Forgot to soften your butter? See our tip to soften butter in 5 minutes.
- Walnuts – toasting the walnuts until they are golden will give you the best tasting cookies. You can substitute with pecans or even pistachios. Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners sugar. We add 1/2 cup to the batter and use more to roll the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract – adds flavor. We love homemade vanilla extract for all of our baking.
- Salt – balances the sweetness. Fine sea salt is our salt of choice.
The KEY to the Best Snowball Cookies
Toast the walnuts on a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently for about 5 minutes or until nuts are lightly golden and fragrant then remove to a cutting board to cool and chop the nuts. Whether you are using walnuts or pecans, toasting the nuts will really bring out their best flavor and will make your cookies even better.
Pro Tip: Nuts can burn very quickly on a skillet. Never walk away from your skillet and be sure to toss them frequently. As soon as you can smell the aroma of the nuts, they are done toasting.
How to make Russian Tea Cakes
- Cream together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Add flour and salt and mix until combined and no streaks of flour remain. The mixture will be lumpy and not smooth.
- Add walnuts once they are cooled and chopped. Use a firm spatula to mix them in until well distributed in the dough.
- Shape into 1-inch balls (using a small cookie scoop makes portioning easy) and place them on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet, keeping them at least an inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned at the base.
- Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar and place on a cookie platter to cool completely to room temperature.
- Roll cooled cookies again in powdered sugar to get an even and generous coating of powdered sugar.
How to tell when Tea Cakes are Done?
These cookies bake up quickly. They are done when the edges of the cookies are lightly golden in color with a golden base.
Make-Ahead
Storing at room temperature – Cookies may be stored up to 1 week in an airtight container.
To freeze Russian tea cakes – store in a freezer-safe lidded container or zip bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and enjoy.
Common Questions
You don’t have to use nuts. You can leave them out completely or fill them with a surprise such as a few butterscotch chips (my son’s favorite). If omitting nuts, I suggest adding another 1/4 cup of flour or the cookies will spread in the oven since the nuts help them keep their form.
They are essentially the same thing and the terms are used interchangeably. At Christmas time, they are referred to as snowball cookies.
You can sub with half whole wheat flour if you prefer. It will add flavor and color to the center of the cookies.
More Christmas Cookies and Bars
Christmas baking is a nostalgic activity and a great time to make beautiful food memories. Explore all of our best Christmas Recipes Here and I’m sure you’ll find many new favorite cookies in this list.
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Lemon Bars
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Christmas Coconut Balls
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
This Tea Cakes recipe was first published in January 2010. It has been updated with new photos and we shared all of our best tips for richer flavor and texture.
Russian Tea Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 lb unsalted butter, or 16 tbsp, at room temperature
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup confectioners sugar, powdered sugar, plus 2 cups more for rolling cookies
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Quick Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner.
- Toast nuts on a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing frequently until fragrant and lightly golden.
How to Make Russian Tea Cakes:
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream together butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla, until smooth.
- Add flour and salt and continue mixing until no streaks of flour remain. The mixture will be lumpy. Use a firm spatula to fold in the nuts until evenly incorporated.
- Use a firm spatula to fold in the chopped nuts until evenly incorporated.
- Shape the dough into 1-inch balls (using a small cookie scoop to portion the dough makes the process easy) and place them on a clean baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Bake at 400˚F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden at the base.
- Fill a bowl with 1 cup powdered sugar and roll the cookie balls in it while they are still very warm then transfer to a platter to cool completely.
- Once cookies are at room temperature, roll them in more powdered sugar to get perfect little snowballs. Cookies may be stored up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I loved this recipe, super easy to follow and the cookies were amazing! This will be a staple for our family this Christmas season!
Great to hear that, Lily. Thanks so much for the good review!
It’s not a Christmas cookie platter without Russian Tea Cakes…and these are the best I’ve tried! Thank you so much for a recipe that I’ll make year after year. 🙂
You’re most welcome, Samantha. I’m glad you loved these Russian Tea Cakes recipe.
Hi Natasha I love all your recipe. This dough cookies is the same of the snow ball cookies? The difference is the nuts? I have made 80% of your recipes . Never fail
Happy Holidays
Hi Marimar, great to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes. It is almost the same except for the almond flour and orange zest.
We have made these for many years in our family. My hubby’s favorite!
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Cheryl!
Oh Just gotta say I love your recipes. I was given the best compliments on your recipe for baked lasagna.Thank You and I shared your website. Also I do makes these cookies, Sand Tarts, recipe from my parents Army paks they were from Texas.Lol
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Jean! I’m so glad these recipes are a hit with your family and friends!
Hello Natasha! Your Russian tea cake cookies look very similar to a holiday cookie we make. we call them butter balls, and they are yummy. A batch made 3 dozen, and I think I ate all but maybe 3😊😊 I am going to give your cookies a go, they look yummy as well!!
Yum! Love the name – Butter balls! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Frank! I hope you try this recipe soon!
Soft chocolate chip cookies-I tried it today. My first.your instructions are clear and educational. Excellent, so delicious. Thanks so much for sharing. I would rate it 4-star
I’m so glad my recipe is helpful! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
My entire family loved these! My husband is very picky and he said these cookies are his new favorite! Thank you!
Perfect! Thank you so much for that, Ashley.
Hi Natasha! I’m looking forward to trying these! Just want to make sure whole wheat pastry flour is acceptable as the whole wheat flour. Thank you and merry Christmas! 🙂
Hi Rachel, I have tried half all-purpose and half whole wheat but haven’t tried this with 100% whole wheat. I think that should work, but haven’t tested it.
Natasha, what’s the difference between the Russian Tea Cake Cookies and the Almond Snowball Cookies? Can I add nuts to the almond snowball cookies?
Hi Felecia, The Snowball cookies are made with almond flour.
If you have a food processor, for goodness sake, use it! You don’t need to cream or sift anything. Put the dry ingredients in first. Pulse a few times to combine, then add the softened, cubed butter and vanilla. Process until everything comes together in a soft pliable dough. The nuts will automatically become finely ground during processing. Chill for a half hour or so before forming and baking the cookies.
Hello, natasha. Thank u so so much for this recipe. Made for Christmas family gathering, boy people loved it. Thanks so much for sharing all your recipes with us!!! God bless u & your beautiful family. Merry Christmas and happy new year !!!😃💖
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles! Merry Christmas!
Hi Natasha,
These turned out perfect and yummy 😋 I used white whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat.
That’s so great, Natalie! I’m happy that worked with wheat flour!!
Hi.
To start off…I’m a guy, so not very used to baking. But have made these several times. They are DELICIOUS. I even made them for a confectionery competition at work and tied for 1st place…Im sure if that pie didn’t have the word “Grandmas” in it I would have won, LOL. People at work loved these, and people at home loved these. The only problem is that I am so slow to bake. Everything on the website looks amazing…but again, I’m so slow it would easily take me 2x as long to make things, but I will try some stuff. Have you ever thought about selling your food? Cause that would be awesome for when I have guests and can’t make the nice desserts myself.
God Bless 🙂
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! I’m happy to hear this did well in your competitions.
Haven’t made yet, I have made with all whole wheat flour, raw sugar and kiss in middle. Turn out good. I will try this and see if better. Most people don’t like the all whole wheat! Thanks
You’re welcome Pamela! Please let me know what you think of the recipe when you decide to make it!
Turned out really GOOD!
I put a few chocolate chips in middle!
Thank You for this recipe
Hey Natasha!
I was wondering how many days in advance can I make these ?
Thank you!!
You can make these up to 3 days in advance. They freeze well, just coast cookies with some more fresh powdered sugar after thawing them.
Looks so yummy..how long can i keep them after baking them.
My dough came out very flour-y. It wasn’t the consistency of dough. It was difficult shape. Did I do something wrong? I reread everything and I don’t believe I missed anything! 🤔😕
Hi Rebecca, it sounds like maybe some proportions were off if it was too floury. Did you use the same amount of ingredients called for in the ingredients list without modifications? When you measure your flour, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup (using a dry ingredients measuring cup), and scrape off the top for a level, even measure. I have found (and I’ve tested this) that when you dip your measuring cup into the flour bin, it becomes compacted and you can get up to 25% extra flour. I hope that helps!
The only thing that wasn’t the same was, i didn’t use wow flour. I’m dedicated though, I’m trying again! Fingers crossed! 😀
Sounds good Rebecca! Thanks for asking! 🙂
WW**
Hey Natasha! Are they supposed to turn out crunchy &a crumbly when you bite into them? Or should they be soft inside? I just made some, and either way, they taste amazing! ❤️
Hi Alina, tea cakes are supposed to be crumbly inside but not really crunch except for the nuts – those are crunchy 🙂
So I made those Russian tea cakes and my parents told me they were really good! My dad said “don’t be surprised if they are gone, haha!! So easy to make and turned out perfect!
Thanks Natasha!!! Can’t wait to try out more recipes. I will keep you posted if you’re interested. 🙂
Also forgot to mention…. since I don’t like nuts, I substituted it with mini chocolate chips instead.
Hope that doesn’t ruin the recipe 🙁
I’d love to know how you liked them with mini chocolate chips! It sounds like a great nut-free alternative (my son doesn’t eat walnuts or pecans either).
That is just awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! Was this with the nuts or chocolate chips?
Such a simple and delicious recipe! Five stars!
Thank you Nelli, I’m glad you liked it 😀
Hi natasha. What if I don’t have wheat flour can I just use the flour I have at home, instead of wheat? And couple days ago I made pavlovas I did everything it said,everything was good,but then when I put cream inside they were sticking to my finger’s,and sticking to each other, what was wrong? I’v made these before,but never used vanilla,lemon juice and corn starch,and never had issues. Tried making it this way and I ruined everything.
Hi Olga, pavlovas typically have those ingredients. I wonder if you are thinking about a different recipe where the centers are crunchy. Pavlovas are meant to be marshmallow soft inside and crisp on the outside where something like boccone dolce is dry and crisp all the way through. I hope that helps! Also, regarding the flour. You can just use only all-purpose flour instead of mixing in the whole wheat. The whole wheat just makes it a little healthier but you can absolutely use only all-purpose flour 🙂
OK. Thanks. It was soft outside and inside too. I’ll try it again. God bless you! And thanks for all of the great recipe’s.