Killer Holiday Recipe: Russian Tea Cakes

—By Patch Staff

Russian Tea Cakes, also known as Mexican Wedding Cakes, snowball cookies, butterballs and snowballs, are a must-eat cookie during the holidays. Once baked, these delicious pastries melt in your mouth satisfying your sweet tooth! It's been baked for centuries, originating in England during the Middle Ages. The recipe below makes about 35 one-inch cookies. Enjoy and happy holidays!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar (this will be used to roll the cookies in afterward)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter, confectioner's sugar, salt, vanilla and flour
• Stir in the pecans
• Shape into one-inch balls, and arrange 1 1/4 inches apart on a baking sheet
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned
• Let cool for at least 15 minutes, and roll in the 3/4 confectioner's sugar