Russian Tea Cakes are Rushin’ off the Plate

Part+of+the+Russian+Tea+Cakes+recipe.+This+recipe+has+been+passed+down+for+generations.

Photo credit: Rob Dixon © 2013

Part of the Russian Tea Cakes recipe. This recipe has been passed down for generations.

Rob Dixon, Columnist

Typically a holiday treat, Russian Tea Cakes are a delicious snack with a simple recipe. Filled with powdered sugar, walnuts, and a bit of vanilla, these will surely make your mouth water. Using only six ingredients, the total prep and cook time is about an hour and six minutes. The recipe for these scrumptious treats is as follows:

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Start to finish: 1.5 hours

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (must be at room temperature)

½ cup of powdered (confectioner’s) sugar (more will be needed later)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ chopped walnuts

2 ½ cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl, and then place the dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes or until it is firm. Once the dough is firm, roll it into small bite-sized balls, then roll them in the confectioner’s sugar. Bake at 350 degrees, and keep a watchful eye on them. After about 7 minutes, they should be done. You are looking to get them to the point where they are just turning golden brown on the bottoms, and the sugar is beginning to melt. Once they are done, pull them out and roll them in powdered sugar (2 coats thus far). Once rolled, allow them to cool and serve, or if desired, roll them a third time.

The threshold of being well done and being overcooked is very slim, so for first timers it can be relatively difficult to cook. But don’t let that discourage you, for when you master the creation of Russian Tea Cakes your friends and family will come begging for more.