Carol's Quilts

I make these every Christmas. They are actually round, ball-shaped, butter-rich cookies rollled in powdered sugar, sometimes called Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowballs. They are usually made with finely chopped nuts in the dough, but I have a recipe for them without nuts called Melting Moments. They are delicious and really do melt in your mouth.

TacoMama

Thanks, CraftyBear. I have made Mexican Wedding cookies for years, but if I put nuts in them, they are pecans. They are delicious!

TacoMama

Oops, I thought it was CraftyBear's recipe, but it is Carol's. Thanks and sorry for the mistake!

middysmom

i can't believe some people don't remember teacakes that was the best thing from my childhood i miss them so much i knew them by heart and i grew up and forgot about them and now i miss them and cant remember how to make them thanks dorothy from tenn

quilterd

we were poor folks growing up
didn't have much back in the 1930ths
my sister would make tea cakes for us sometimes
and when we had a picnic at school she would make them for us to take
they were sooooooo good
i wish i had her recipe she died 1992
i would love somebodys old family recipe also

allbright

I use to have my Grandmother's recipe for teacakes...sure wish I could find it..they were awesome!!

Carol's Quilts

For anyone who is still interested in a recipe for "teacakes", here are 2 recipes which my family has always loved. These are "Christmas only" cookies or at family celebrations like christenings, weddings, etc.

The first is for Russian Teacakes (also called Mexican Wedding Cookies or Snowballs. These are the ones my mom made when I was little and my sisters and I still make them, and I'm 71! But you must use real butter - it is important for the flavor. Since this recipe is from an OLD Betty Crocker cookbook and unsalted butter was not specified or even available, I always use regular salted butter.

The second cookie is from the Joy of Baking cookbook, but it has no nuts (grandson is allergic). It is also a delicious cookie and really just melts in your mouth.

Hope you enjoy!

RUSSIAN TEACAKES

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. (I only get about 30-36 cookies.)

1 cup soft butter (salted)
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (powdered or icing sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup FINELY chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla.

Sift flour and salt together and stir into butter mixture.

Stir in chopped nuts.

Chill dough. Roll into 1" balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet (I use parchment paper.) Cookies do not spread, so you may place them close together. Bake until set but not brown. While still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar. Cool completely. Roll in sugar again. (The first sugaring will melt from the heat and make the cookies sticky, which holds the second sugaring on the cookies so they look like snowballs.)

These cookies store very well between sheets of waxed paper or parchment in an airtight container.

NOTE: My DIL's mom makes these, but wraps the dough around a maraschino cherry (drained and dried) before baking. You should probably bake them a little longer, but I'm not sure about that.

MELTING MOMENTS

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Makes about 3 dozen.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch (corn flour) - yes, this is correct.
1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla.
Add flour mixture until well incorporated.
Chill dough 1 hour.

Roll dough into 1" balls and place 1" apart on ungreased sheet or parchment-lined sheet. Bake. Remove cookies to a cooling rack until just cool enough to handle. The warm cookies are very fragile. CAREFULLY roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar again.

These cookies store very well between sheets of waxed paper or parchment in an airtight container.

ShowMama

Exactly! My great aunt Lillie would make these and I always loved them. They were so light and crispy, sweet but no too much. I once asked how she got them so crispy and she said it was because she used lard instead of shortening.