Mexican Wedding Cookies

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.

2. 2

   Step 2: Measure the pecans (½ cup) before grinding them. Finely grind or chop all the measured pecans, then mix or pulse them with all ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar.

   Uses ½ cup pecans, measured before finely grinding or chopping · ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar for dough

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix all the flour (2 cups) and salt (⅛ tsp) in a large bowl. Add the cold butter (½ cup) chunks and all the cold shortening in teaspoon-sized pieces. Work the fats into the flour with your fingertips just until the mixture is coarse and crumbly, with small pieces of fat throughout.

   Uses 2 cups all-purpose flour · ⅛ tsp salt · ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks · ½ cup cold vegetable shortening

4. 4

   Step 4: Work all the pecan-sugar mixture into the flour mixture, then mix in the egg (1). Bring it together into a soft, even ball, usually in less than a minute, and stop as soon as it holds together. If overworking has made it greasy and difficult to shape, cover and refrigerate it for about 15 minutes before continuing; otherwise no chill is needed.

   Uses All the crumbly mixture · All the ground pecans and dough sugar · 1 egg

5. 5

   Step 5: Butter a large cookie sheet, or additional sheets if needed. Roll the dough into about thirty balls, each 1–1½ inches wide. Place them about 1 inch apart and gently tap each ball as it is set down. Keep any tray awaiting the oven cool so the dough stays firm.

   Uses All the dough, after the conditional chill if needed · Extra unsalted butter for greasing the cookie sheets, as needed

6. 6

   Step 6: Bake a tray at 350°F / 175°C for about 15–16 minutes, checking from 15 minutes for light golden colour and browned bottoms. Continue as needed until the centres are baked through without drying the cookies; if necessary, check again every minute or two. Bake any additional tray in the same way.

   First check of the current cookie tray · 15 minUses The shaped cookies on the current oven tray

7. 7

   Step 7: Dust the baked cookies generously with the extra confectioners’ sugar. Let them cool enough to handle, then serve; the recipe makes about thirty cookies.

   Uses All the fully baked cookies lifted from their sheets · Extra confectioners’ sugar for dusting the baked cookies, as needed