Polvorones or Mexican Wedding cookies are one of those food’s that know no boundaries or country borders, just one of those dishes where this is more true than others.

For example, New Zealand and Australia have had an ongoing argument for decades over who first invented the pavlova. Or the pastry more commonly and widely known as French palmiers is called schweine ohren in Germany – I grew up thinking they were German.

What about Mexican Wedding Cookies? I’d never heard of Mexican wedding cookies and then I did a little research. That name in fact stems from America and you can buy them readily at the supermarket. However, Mexican’s don’t eat these cookies at weddings, no, in fact they aren’t even considered a specialty.

To Mexican’s the cookies are named Polvorones instead of the American named Mexican Wedding Cookies and in their homeland they come in a variety of flavors and are eaten on a daily basis. These are extremely addictive and my father who visited while these were on the bench managed to eat six in quick succession while I consumed three before making myself walk away. Good luck trying to only eat one of these, you’ll find yourself returning to them.

Polvorones – Mexican Wedding Cookies
Adapted from A Second Helping, More from Ladies A Plate book
Makes 25

Ingredients:
225 grams/7.9 ounces butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner’s/icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 1/2 – 2 cups confectioner’s/icing sugar

Directions:
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 200°C/400F.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 1 minute.

Sift in the flour, and add the salt and walnuts.

Mix until well combined and refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Remove and take a tablespoon amount, placing into your hand and rolling into a smooth ball. If the mixture sticks, return to the refrigerator for a further 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes or slightly brown on the edges.

Remove and allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to the cooling tray.

Sift the confectioner’s sugar into a shallow dish and roll each cookie in the confectioner’s sugar carefully while still warm (the buttery sugar will stick to your fingers so it’s easiest to place the cookie on the flat side down and rolling the top last, carefully picking up from the base).

Return to the cooling rack and repeat the confectioner’s sugar process twice more while allowing to cool to room temperature.

Serve and enjoy.

Polvorones - Mexican Wedding Cookies

Yield: Makes 25

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Buttery traditional Mexican Polvorones come together quickly and are the perfect bite sized treat

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Ingredients

• 225 grams/7.9 ounces butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s/icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups confectioner’s/icing sugar

Instructions

1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 200°C/400F.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 1 minute.
3. Sift in the flour, and add the salt and walnuts.
4. Mix until well combined and refrigerate for 5 minutes.
5. Remove and take a tablespoon amount, placing into your hand and rolling into a smooth ball. If the mixture sticks, return to the refrigerator for a further 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes or slightly brown on the edges.
7. Remove and allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to the cooling tray.
8. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into a shallow dish and roll each cookie in the confectioner’s sugar carefully while still warm (the buttery sugar will stick to your fingers so it's easiest to place the cookie on the flat side down and rolling the top last, carefully picking up from the base).
9. Return to the cooling rack and repeat the confectioner’s sugar process twice more while allowing to cool to room temperature.
10. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Adapted from A Second Helping, More from Ladies A Plate book