Name: Mexican Wedding Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup vegetable shortening; 1/4 cup water; 1 egg white; 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz or close); 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional); 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; confectioner's sugar (for dipping (about a cup))

With a sugary coating and a buttery soft interior filled with chocolate chips and chopped nuts, these Mexican wedding cookies are guaranteed to melt in your mouth.

Jump to Recipe

My mother used to make this Mexican wedding cookies recipe especially for me when I was a little girl because I loved the Danish wedding cookies that were sold in the grocery stores. All you had to do was ask for that pink box of cookies and within a day or two, a plate of these would appear on the table (did I have her trained, or what?).

These Mexican wedding cookies float away somehow or magically disappear into another dimension when you aren’t looking. Although I make all different kinds of cookies throughout the year, these always feel extra special to me. Part of that is because of so many childhood memories attached to them, but another part is the tender lightness of the cookie, tiny unexpected pockets of chocolate, and angelic coating of confectioner’s sugar.

I guess they taste magical because they really are. I love serving these during the holidays, as that sugar coating makes them resemble little snowballs! Here are 14 other fabulous Christmas cookie recipes. Let’s get baking!

Recipe Ingredients

Vanilla extract
Vegetable shortening or coconut oil
Mini chocolate chips
Egg
Confectioner’s sugar
White cake mix

Yeah, I just said cake mix. Trust me on this, cake mix has found a higher calling in these cookies!

How To Make Mexican Wedding Cookies

Place shortening or coconut oil, water, vanilla extract, and egg white in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about a minute.

After you mix those it’s going to look a little ‘globby’.

Add in cake mix and beat with an electric mixer until well blended, about two minutes. Add in chocolate chips and nuts, if using. Mix again until just blended.

Now we’re done with the cookie dough! Wasn’t that easy peasy?

Roll dough into one-inch-ish balls with your hands or use a cookie dough scoop.

Place about two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or two.

Bake until almost set, or for about 10 minutes.

Like this. You aren’t going for golden brown here, just almost done looking.

Remove from the baking sheet and dip the top of each warm cookie in the powdered sugar.

If they are too soft you can set them aside for a minute or two but you need to dip them while they are warm.

Dip only the tops, like this.

The confectioner’s sugar will stick to them as long as they are warm.

Oh my goodness, these are so yummy!

Look at how gorgeous these Mexican wedding cookies are. They would be SO pretty on your cookie trays this Christmas.

Hopefully, you won’t run into the same problem I usually do, though. Whenever I make them for a party or event, there is never enough left to take when it comes time to leave!

Storage

Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
You can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Once thawed, I’d roll them in powdered sugar once more.

Recipe Notes

Instead of shortening, a little healthier choice is coconut oil. Refined coconut oil takes the strong coconut flavor out of the oil but if you like the coconut taste then stick with the unrefined type.
If you don’t have or can’t find mini chocolate chips, you can just chop up regular chocolate chips a bit. I’ve done that plenty of times.
Now, most of the time when I say “egg white” I am sharing a recipe where it is absolutely essential that no yolk be involved. Like when you’re making a meringue that won’t whip up right if yolk gets in. However, if you happen to get a little yolk in this recipe it will still be just fine. Just make egg white be your goal and then roll with whatever happens.
If using chopped nuts, I recommend pecans, walnuts, or almonds. This is how Mexican wedding cookies are traditionally made.
To make these cookies gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free white cake mix instead.

Recipe Variations

Instead of chopped nuts and chocolate chips, add these variations to this Mexican wedding cookie recipe (just use the same measurements):

Chocolate chips and rainbow jimmies.
Hershey’s Kiss chocolates or mini Reese’s instead of the chocolate chips.
Peppermint candy cane pieces and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract (as well as the vanilla extract).
Chopped macadamia nuts and finely shredded coconut.
Chopped pecan pieces with a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Slivered almonds and a 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.

Recipe FAQs

What are Mexican wedding cookies also called?

Mexican wedding cookies are also known as Russian tea cakes, Swedish tea cakes, snowball cookies, butterball cookies, and Italian wedding cookies.

Check out these other holiday cookie recipes:

Thumbprint Cookies with Jam or Preserves

Italian Sugar Cookies

Recipe For Spritz Cookies

Southern Plate’s Must-Make Christmas Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies (Elf Favorite!)