Wedding Cookies

Also called polvorones, Russian tea cakes, or snowballs, these wedding cookies are a holiday staple for good reason. Butter, flour, finely chopped pecans, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a whisper of cinnamon. No eggs, no leavening. Just a tender, crumbly cookie that practically dissolves on your tongue.

The dough is stiff. That’s intentional. You need to be able to roll it into firm 1-inch balls that hold their shape in the oven without spreading. If the dough feels too dry to come together, keep working it with your hands. The butter warms from your palms and binds everything.

Roll the cookies in powdered sugar while they’re still slightly warm. The warmth melts a thin layer of sugar onto the surface, creating a coating that actually sticks. If you wait until they’re completely cool, the sugar just sits on top and falls off.

Pro Tips

• Chop the pecans very fine, almost to a powder. Large pieces make the dough crumble instead of holding together.
• Don’t flatten the balls. They should stay round and puff slightly during baking.
• Bake at a high temperature for a short time. You want them set and barely golden, not browned.
• Roll in powdered sugar twice: once while warm, once after cooling for a thicker, snowier coat.

Variations

• Walnut version: Swap pecans for finely chopped walnuts for a slightly more bitter, earthy flavor.
• Almond: Use finely ground almonds and add ¼ teaspoon almond extract alongside the vanilla.
• Chocolate dipped: Dip cooled cookies halfway into melted dark chocolate before the powdered sugar roll.