Print

Ina Garten Mexican Wedding Cookies

Ina Garten Mexican Wedding Cookies
Print Recipe

These classic Mexican wedding cookies are rich, sandy, and intensely buttery, with finely chopped pecans folded into a delicate dough and a generous coating of confectioners’ sugar. Although traditionally baked, this version is adapted for stovetop cooking in a covered skillet, giving you tender, pale cookies with a subtle toasted-nut aroma and the same melt-in-your-mouth finish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the coating:

  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Set a large heavy-bottomed skillet or deep sauté pan over medium-low heat and add the chopped pecans to the dry pan. Toast them for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until they smell nutty and darken slightly but do not brown deeply; transfer to a plate immediately so the residual heat does not scorch them.
  2. Place the softened butter and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Cream with a wooden spoon or hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth, slightly lighter in color, and fluffy; this step dissolves the sugar and creates the tender, short texture the cookies need.
  3. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl so no butter remains unmixed at the bottom. Add the flour and kosher salt, then stir on low speed or by hand just until the dough looks mostly combined with a few dry streaks remaining; overmixing will make the cookies dense instead of delicate.
  4. Fold in the toasted pecans until evenly distributed and no dry flour pockets remain. The finished dough should be soft but not sticky, and it should hold together when pressed between your fingers; if it feels greasy and loose, let it stand 5 minutes before shaping.
  5. Divide and roll the dough into 16 even balls, about 1 inch wide each, using lightly floured hands if needed. Place them on a tray or plate and chill for 10 minutes; this brief rest firms the butter so the cookies keep their shape during stovetop cooking.
  6. Prepare the stovetop baking setup by placing a low trivet, metal cookie cutter ring, or crumpled foil coil in the bottom of a large lidded skillet or Dutch oven. Set a flat heatproof plate or small cake pan on top, cover with the lid, and preheat over low heat for 5 minutes so the chamber warms gently and evenly.
  7. Arrange half of the dough balls on the preheated plate or pan, leaving at least 1 inch between them, then cover tightly. Cook over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the plate or pan halfway through if your burner heats unevenly, until the cookies look dry on the surface, feel set, and are pale golden underneath.
  8. Transfer the first batch carefully to a wire rack and let them cool for 5 minutes; they are fragile while hot and can crumble if moved too quickly. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping the heat low so the bottoms do not darken before the centers set; if preferred, the cookies can instead be baked in a 325°F / 165°C oven for 17 to 20 minutes.
  9. Place the remaining 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl while the cookies are still warm but no longer hot. Roll each cookie gently in the sugar to create the first coating, which will cling best while a little surface butter remains warm.
  10. Cool the coated cookies completely on the rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll them a second time in the confectioners’ sugar for the signature snowy finish and serve once fully cooled, when the crumb becomes tender, sandy, and melt-in-your-mouth.

Notes

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days if your kitchen is warm. Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment paper. To serve after refrigeration, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. To refresh from frozen, thaw at room temperature, then warm briefly in a 300°F / 150°C oven for 3 to 4 minutes if desired; dust again with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Ina Garten Mexican Wedding Cookies, stovetop cookies, pecan butter cookies, powdered sugar cookies, snowball cookies, tea cookies

Find it online: https://inagartendishes.com/ina-garten-mexican-wedding-cookies/