All the crumbly goodness of Mexican Wedding Cookies but with a pumpkin spice twist! These cookies go by many, many names but what they’re best known for is their irresistible melt in your mouth powdered sugar-covered crumb.
Okay, wow! I can’t believe it’s finally here. The day I’ve been waiting for basically my whole life.
My first cookbook, Plant Powered Mexican, is out in the world!! If you haven’t ordered your copy you can get it now on Amazon or anywhere books are sold.
It has been such a whirlwind and I feel like I’ve been talking about it for months but if you pre-ordered the book, it will be showing up on your doorsteps today and I’m just so excited to hear what you think! I hope you enjoy every single recipe.
To celebrate, I’ve made us cookies!!
These Pumpkin Spice Mexican Wedding Cookies are in the companion ebook I made with my friends at California Grown. If you order the book before 12/20/21, you can receive Mexican-Inspired Desserts and Drinks for free!
Just email me a screenshot or image of your Plant Powered Mexican receipt to kate@holajalapeno.com and I’ll send you our ebook filled with 7 never-before-seen dessert and drink recipes, plus produce buying tips, and a seasonal calendar.
Come Celebrate with me–In Person!
I have two book signing celebrations coming up in December and I hope to see you all there. Here are the details:
Plant Powered Mexican Launch Party
WHERE: Tato Restaurant in San Francisco, CA
WHEN: Sunday, December 5 from 1-4pm
DETAILS: Free event, open to everyone! We will have books and snacks!.
Cooking Demo and Signing
WHERE: Alta Baja Market in Santa Ana, CA
WHEN: Saturday, December 11 from 1-3pm
DETAILS: Free Event, open to everyone. I will be making some of my favorite recipes from the book!
Now, let’s make cookies!!
What are Mexican Wedding Cookies?
These nutty bites go by many names.
You may know them as Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cakes. Pick a country around the world and they will have their own version.
They are one of those traditional cookie recipes that are a must-make during the holidays.
The story goes, these shortbread cookies were most commonly known in the US as Russian Tea Cakes but there was a concerted effort to change the name to Mexican Wedding Cookies during the Cold War to prevent any warm feelings being made in connection to anything Russian.
In Mexico however, they are most commonly referred to as Polvorones.
Anyhoo, this fall-inspired version takes all that we love about this iconic cookie and gussies them up for the Thanksgiving table with pumpkin puree and lots of warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Or really anytime you need those cozy warm vibes.
Ingredients
- Pecans. The quintessential Mexican Wedding Cookie nut.
- Unsalted butter. Make sure you take this out of the fridge an hour or so before starting, you want it soft and at room temperature.
- All purpose flour
- Canned pumpkin puree. Not pumpkin pie filling.
- Powdered sugar. You need powdered sugar in the dough and for coating the outside of the cookies.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon. If you have actual pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute that for the spices in this recipe.
- Ground ginger
- Kosher salt
- Ground cloves
How To Make Them
Get the butter out of the fridge
First step, take your butter out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature.
Preheat oven and toast pecans
Heat your oven to 350°F. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven as it warms up. Let them cool then chop pecans in the food processor until minced, but not a paste.
Make dough
Combine butter, sugar (you’ll only use 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in the dough) in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat well. Add the flour, salt, vanilla extract, and remaining ingredients. Beat until everything is evenly mixed.
Bake
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and scoop dough into 1-inch balls. For nicely rounded cookies, don’t press down before baking. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Coat in powdered sugar
While the cookies are still warm, coat them on all sides in powdered sugar. Let cool on cooling rack. Or eat at least one right away—you won’t be sorry.
storing and freezing
The cookies will keep in a tightly-sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Cranberry Lime Cookies
- Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free, Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Extra Spicy Molasses Crinkle Cookies
- Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Bean Cookies
- Sugar Cookies on Crack
Take My Advice…Add some spice!
Sugar, salt, pumpkin, and spice. Those are the essential ingredients for a happy life and delicious Mexican Wedding Cookies! Snap me a pic and tag me @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno on Instagram so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Pumpkin Spice Mexican Wedding Cookies
All the crumbly goodness of Mexican Wedding Cookies but with a pumpkin spice twist! These cookies go by many, many names but what they’re best known for is their irresistible melt in your mouth powdered sugar-covered crumb.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Prepare oven. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
- Toast and grind pecans. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven as it heats until they are fragrant, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool then grind in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment until finely minced but not so much they turn into a paste.
- Beat butter and powdered sugar. Combine butter and ½ cup of the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Mix in remaining ingredients. Add ground pecans and remaining ingredients and mix on low until well combined.
- Bake. Line the baking sheet you used to toast the pecans with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place an inch apart of the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden on the outside, about 15 minutes (start checking after 10 minutes). Repeat with remaining dough.
- Coat in sugar. Place remaining cup of powdered sugar in a bowl. Toss warm cookies in the sugar until well coated. Let cool on a rack.
Notes
Cookie will keep covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 88Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g
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