Always Loved Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican wedding cookies, known as polvorones in their homeland, share DNA with Russian tea cakes and Greek kourabiedes: a buttery shortbread dough, finely chopped nuts, and an iconic blanket of powdered sugar. The name “polvorón” comes from the Spanish word for dust, which describes both the powdery coating and the way the cookies dissolve on the tongue.

The low-and-slow 275°F (135°C) bake is the technique that defines this cookie. A higher temperature would brown the edges and crack the surface before the centers firm up.

This gentle 45-minute bake dries the cookies through evenly, creating that crumbly, sandy texture that gives way completely on the first bite. Almost no spread happens during the bake because there’s no leavening agent at all.

The double-sugar coating is where most home bakers fall short. The first roll happens while the cookies are still warm, so the residual heat helps the powdered sugar adhere into a thin first layer.

A second packing on of sugar (with fingers, building up to about an eighth of an inch thick) is what creates the unmistakable snowy presentation. Finally, a third dusting once they’re cool gives the perfect powdery finish.

Pro Tips

• Toast the almonds lightly before chopping. Raw almonds taste flat against the rich butter.
• Use real butter, not margarine. Shortbread is fundamentally a butter showcase.
• Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls only. Bigger cookies don’t bake through evenly at this low temperature.
• Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight tins. Stacking directly causes the sugar coating to wear off.

Variations

• Substitute toasted pecans for almonds for a more traditional Texas-style polvorón.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the powdered sugar for a Mexican-spiced version.
• Stir a splash of anise extract into the dough for a southern Spanish-style flavor twist.