Russian Tea Cakes
The fine art of making Russian Tea Cakes
Christmas Tradition: Baking Christmas Cookies
It is no secret in my family that I love cookies. In fact, long before Cookie Monster ever graced the screen, I was the cookie monster in our home. Although my all time favorite cookie is a homemade Nestlé’s Toll House chocolate chip cookie just out of the oven, with its oozing chocolate, I do have my holiday favorites. If I had to choose one and only one, that choice would be the delicate powdery Russian Tea Cake, which is actually a cookie, not a cake.
In our family, it is a Christmas tradition to make these delicious cookies well in advance of Christmas Day, so we can send them off to family members who won’t be joining us for the holidays; share them at work parties; or just enjoy them amongst ourselves.
Family Fun
Easy and Elegant Cookie Recipe:
Russian Tea Cakes are not difficult to make, but it takes patience because the dough must be chilled before the final baking process. If you are looking for a quick cookie that is easy to make and bake, then I suggest buying a tube of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough with the reindeer or Christmas tree imprinted on it, slice it, bake it and enjoy…then, you can tell all of your friends that you made them yourself.
If it is a more sophisticated cookie with a lingering flavor that will make you want more than one, than I am suggest you follow the recipe below for this charming, snowy winter treat. Who knows, perhaps making Russian Tea Cakes will become a holiday tradition in your home as well.
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Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 C soft butter, not melted
- 1/2 C + 1/2-1 C for cookies confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 C flour, sifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 C walnuts, finely chopped
Make Baking a Family Tradition
Instructions
- With a mixer thoroughly mix butter, sugar and vanilla.
- Sift together flour and salt.
- Gradually stir flour mixture into butter/sugar mixture.
- Add walnuts and stir in by hand.
- Chill in refrigerator at least one hour or overnight.
- After chilling, roll dough into 1 inch balls and set on nongreased cookie sheet.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. Should be golden, not overcooked.
- Roll in 1/2 cup to 1 cup of confectioners sugar immediately after removing from oven.
- Cool thoroughly. Roll a second time in the sugar and store in airtight container.
An elegant dessert: Russian Tea Cakes
