These traditional Russian Tea Cakes {aka Snowball Cookies} are the perfect holiday cookies and an excellent choice for cookie exchanges!
I am in love with making holiday cookies around this time of the year.
It was a tradition for me to help bake cookies as a child with my grandmother “Mimi” and mom and now I am trying to carry on the same tradition.
Of course, my kids are a little too young to actually “help” but they sure love trying!
Ingredients Needed to Make These Russian tea cakes {Snowball Cookies}
- butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- walnuts
- salt
Last year I gathered my mom’s and grandmother’s old recipes and put them together for my mom in this cute binder for a Christmas gift.
I found the recipe for these Russian Tea Cakes and decided to make them. Well, with a little google search I discovered quickly that it’s Betty Crocker’s recipe, but that’s okay because why reinvent the wheel if it’s already so darn delicious!?
I also recently discovered these silicone baking mats that are amazing.
They have really saved me a bit from scrubbing my cookie sheets – any time saver like that is definitely worth it!
Thankfully my friends and I are having a holiday exchange again this year so I have an excuse to make tons of cookies.
I’ve yet to decide what cookies to bring though…these Russian Tea Cakes {Snowball Cookies} are in the running but my all-time favorite are these Chinese New Year Cookies (also Mimi’s recipe).
What do you think??
Dietitian’s Dish
Do you ever feel like you don’t want to participate in cookie exchanges because you’ll have a ton of cookies leftover which equals tons of excess calories?
Well, I make a habit of taking samples of each type of cookie I receive and then package the rest up for gifts to my neighbors and children’s teachers.
Also, you could suggest a variation to the traditional cookie exchange.
For example, this year instead of just a cookie exchange, my friends and I decided we would bring either ornaments, cookies or alcohol to exchange.
I love this idea, especially if anyone runs out of time and can’t make cookies, they can easily bring something else.
Russian Tea Cakes {Snowball Cookies}
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- In a large bowl, mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla together.
- Stir in flour, nuts and salt until combined.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet.
- Cool slightly then roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Let cool on wire rack.
- If desired, roll in powdered sugar again once cookies have cooled.
This Russian Tea Cakes post first appeared on Chocolate Slopes.
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Jeanette Bishop
Tuesday 22nd of December 2015
They're exactly like Betty Crocker. I've made them for years and just got through making another batch. The only difference is your saying "if desired you may roll in powdered sugar again. Betty says to do it. My Betty Crocker from 1956, has more winners in it than any other of the 200 or so cookbooks I have. People rave about a dozen things I make from Betty.
Kristy Hegner
Wednesday 30th of December 2015
Yes, Betty Crocker definitely knows how to bake! Why reinvent the wheel if it's already delicious, right?