Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 120 g pecans, raw or lightly toasted
- 60 g confectioners sugar
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 240 g all-purpose flour
Coating
- 120 g confectioners sugar, sifted
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the pecans and 60g of confectioners sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground, taking care not to process them so long that they turn into a paste.
Add the softened unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt to the food processor. Process until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
Add the all-purpose flour to the processor. Pulse in short bursts just until a cohesive dough begins to form around the blade. Do not overmix.
Scoop out portions of the dough and roll them firmly between your palms to form smooth balls, about 15g each. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a small gap between each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). The cookies should appear set and slightly golden on the bottom, but the tops must remain pale.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool in place for 5 minutes. They need this resting time to firm up enough to handle without crumbling.
Sift the remaining 120g of confectioners sugar into a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm, gently roll each one in the sugar to coat thoroughly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies have reached room temperature, roll them through the confectioners sugar a second time to create their signature thick, snowy exterior.
Chef's Notes
- Because this dough lacks eggs or leavening agents, it relies entirely on the butter and flour ratio for structure. Accurate measuring, preferably by weight, is critical to achieving the perfect shortbread texture.
- The double-coating technique is non-negotiable for authentic Mexican Wedding Cookies. The first coating on the warm cookie melts slightly to form a delicate icing-like seal, allowing the second coating to adhere in a thick, bright white layer.
- Using a food processor minimizes gluten development since the blade slices through the flour rather than stretching it. This guarantees an exceptionally tender crumb.
- For variations, you can replace the pecans with walnuts, almonds, or pistachios. Just ensure they are processed with the sugar to manage their oil content.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight container to prevent the sugar coating from absorbing environmental moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked cookies without the final sugar coating, or freeze unbaked dough balls in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag.
