My mom’s Russian Teacakes (also called Mexican Wedding cookies) are one of Kelly’s absolutely favorite cookies. When I saw this version, which transforms the standard Russian Teacake into a spicy chocolate flavored version of the same – and without needing dairy – I knew I needed to try it out.
Best news? Kelly proclaimed them “DELICIOUS.”
Vegan Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies
Adapted from original recipe here
- 1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
- 1 c pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped
- 1/3 c unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 3/4 t ground cinnamon
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/4 t ground cayenne
- 2 sticks Earth Balance (or butter)
- 1.5 c powdered sugar, divided
- 1 t vanilla bean paste
Whisk flour, pecans, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne together in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat Earth Balance and 1/2 c of powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture until just combined. Cover an refrigerate until firm but still soft enough to scoop, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a pie plate or large, shallow bowl. Form dough into 1-tablespoon balls and place on the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1.25 inches apart. Bake for 16 minutes until the tops of the cookies are set. Place baking sheets on wire racks and let cookies cool on the sheets for 10 minutes. While still warm, gently coat each cookie completely in powdered sugar and place on the rack. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes more, then coat again in the powdered sugar.
