Description
Russian tea balls blend classic holiday charm with buttery, nutty goodness. Powdered sugar-coated cookies melt delicately, offering sweet comfort perfect for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 pound (16 tbsps or 227 g) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 cup walnuts (toasted and coarsely chopped)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (for rolling the cookies)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing frequently until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Use an electric mixer to cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Gradually incorporate flour and salt into the creamed mixture, mixing until fully integrated. The dough will appear slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold toasted walnuts into the dough, ensuring even distribution throughout the mixture.
- Using a cookie scoop or hands, form dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottom edges turn golden brown.
- Immediately roll warm cookies in a bowl of powdered sugar, coating them thoroughly.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, perform a second roll in powdered sugar to create a fully coated, snow-white appearance.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, preserving their delicate texture and flavor.
Notes
- Toast walnuts carefully to enhance their nutty flavor without burning, watching them closely and stirring frequently during the 5-minute process.
- Use room temperature butter for smoother creaming and better ingredient integration, ensuring a more consistent dough texture.
- Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent tough cookies, stopping when ingredients are just combined and walnuts are evenly distributed.
- Roll cookies in powdered sugar while warm for the first coating, which helps the sugar adhere better and creates a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth exterior.
- For gluten-free variation, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or a gluten-free baking blend to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Store cookies in a single layer between parchment paper to maintain their delicate powdered sugar coating and prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Russian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 178
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg