Russian Tea Cakes
from Betty Crocker
1 cup stick margarine or butter softened
½ cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
¼ tsp salt
powdered sugar

heat oven to 400
mix butter, ½ cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in a bowl. Stir in flour nuts and salt until dough holds together.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not browned. Remove from cookie sheet and cool slightly on a wire rack.
Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack and roll in powdered sugar again.

Polvorones
Cinnamon Tea Cakes
1 cup butter
½ cup powdered sugar
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar mixed with 1 TBS cinnamon for rolling.

Cream butter add sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt & vanilla to make a moderately stiff dough. Cover tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. When chilled roll into 1 inch balls. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 for 14-17 minutes. While still warm roll the cookies in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cool on a wire rack and them roll in sugar and cinnamon again. Makes about 4 dozen

Swedish Teacakes (Mexican Wedding Cakes)

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts
additional powdered sugar

In mixing bowl; cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in salt, nuts and flour until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325° for 15 to 20 minutes until set but not brown. Cool slightly, roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely; roll again in powdered sugar. Must use butter in this recipe. Nuts are required also. Makes about 4½ dozen. 2 measuring teaspoons leveled for each cookie makes the perfect size

Mexican Wedding Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 confectioners' sugar cup PLUS additional for coating
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt

Preheat oven to 325* F.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, nuts, vanilla and salt just until blended. Shape into small balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until very lightly browned. While cookies are warm, roll to coat in additional confectioners' sugar. Cool. Roll again in confectioners’ sugar. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen cookies
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Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup ground pecans
1/2 cup German sweet chocolate, grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup German sweet chocolate, grated

In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ground pecans, 1/2 cup ground chocolate, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours, or until firm. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are firm to the touch. Cool 1 minute on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. For the coating, sift 1/2 cup of the confectioner's sugar and 1/4 cup of the ground cocoa into a shallow bowl. While cookies are still warm, roll them in the coating. Makes 16 cookies

Marilyn

And to Woodny... I have heard these called both "Russian Tea" and "Mexican Wedding" cookies. The funny thing is, I know many Mexican-Americans whose parents were born in Mexico, and they didn't know what I was talking about! lol... it must just be "a name."

Thanks!!