Russian Tea Cakes Recipe - Classic Christmas Snowball Cookies! (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze Russian tea cookie dough? ›

Russian tea cakes, also called Mexican wedding cookies, are delicate hazelnut-based cookies that freeze well without losing their flavor or texture. For best results, freeze cookies the same day they are baked, after they have cooled completely. You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough for ...

Originating in Russia, as the name suggests, this cookie was intended to be a dessert to accompany teatime, similar to the way the English enjoy tea with pastries. It is not credited to being invented by any particular person since the whole point of the cookies is that anybody can make them.

Suitable for home freezingTo enjoy our baking at its best, store in a cool dry place - ideally not refrigerated. Warmer conditions will reduce storage life. If freezing, freeze as soon as possible after purchase.

It was traditionally composed of black tea with lemon and sugar, orange and pineapple juices, cinnamon, clove, honey, and lemon or orange wedges for garnish. It was typically afforded only by the elite at this time and enjoyed during the cold of winter as a way to warm up.

I believe the name 'tea cake' comes from their affinity for afternoon tea parties. What are tea cakes made of? Tea cakes are simple roll-out sugar cookies with a slightly dense, cake-like texture sprinkled with nutmeg and sugar.

Recipes such as roll out sugar cookies, cut-out cookies and shortbread cookies don't freeze as well - I prefer to freeze the baked cookies rather than the cookie dough. For delicate cookies such as Macarons I prefer to freeze the empty shells once they are baked.

Delicate cookie doughs/batters don't hold up well in the freezer. For example, I avoid freezing French macarons batter, madeleine batter, lace cookies batter, and chocolate-swirled meringue batter. Even if you let the doughs/batter thaw first, the results will not be the same.

Cool down your dough for a tastier, chewier cookie.

As little as 30 minutes in your fridge or freezer can help your cookie brown better, spread less, and develop a richer chewy texture. There's a few reasons why, but one important part is it gives the butter in your dough a chance to firm up before baking.

History of Mexican Wedding Cookies

As Spanish colonizers brought these recipes to Mexico, they seamlessly integrated into the local culinary landscape. The cookie's association with weddings stems from its sweet symbolism of happiness, unity, and the joyful occasions surrounding matrimony.

The origin for pecan snowball cookies is unknown. Beloved in many parts of the world, these cookies may have traveled to the U.S. by way of immigrants from Eastern Europe or Mexico. Since the 20th century, they've become part of traditional American offerings for weddings and holidays, including Christmas and Easter.

Why is Russian cake called Russian cake? ›

There is an interesting legend of how the Russian cake got its name. The story goes that a New Orleans baker made it because he ran out of ingredients to bake a proper cake for the visit of the Russian Grand Duke Alexis when he visited the city in 1872 for Mardi Gras.

You can freeze filled cookies, such as thumbprint cookies and cookies that are coated in powdered sugar, such as Mexican wedding cookies either after they are baked or freeze the cookie dough. If you're freezing the baked cookies, wait to fill them or roll in powdered sugar until you're ready to serve.

Allow the cookies to cool completely after baking. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper, fill it with a single layer of cookies and freeze. Stack the cookies with small square pieces of wax paper to keep them separated, then transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag.

Tea Cakes and brownies have average shelf life of 3-4 days if kept outside in AC room, wheres in fridge they will last for around 10 days. Other items have long shelf life of 40-80days.

Traditionally, these digestive aid biscuits were made with whole grain flour, vegetable oil, baking soda, sugar, and malt extract. While this recipe has certainly stood the test of time, I'm a firm believer that every baked good tastes better with butter, so I substitute it for the vegetable oil.

Even though they may sound like cakes, tea cakes are actually old-fashioned cookies made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and vanilla.

Butter, sugar, flour, baking soda and vanilla make thin, cookie like layers of Medovik. They are softened with a cream filling that is one part whipping cream and one part sour cream mixed with sugar and vanilla. Sometimes a filling made with butter and sweetened condensed milk is used.

samovar, metal urn, often of brass, with a spigot near its base, widely used in Russia to boil water for tea. In traditional samovars water is heated by means of a vertical tube, containing burning charcoal, running up the middle of the urn. A filled teapot is set atop the chimney to steep.