Natural Strawberry Mexican Wedding Cookies
These addictive melt-in-your-mouth cookies are getting a flavor revamp with crushed freeze dried strawberries. Enjoy these powdered sugar-dusted, crunchy, nut-filled cookies ~ a true holiday treat!
Servings: 48 cookies
Cost: 10
Equipment
- # 100 cookies scoop
- cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans lightly toasted
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 1/2 pound (1/2 pound) Room temperature - I use organic, no natural flavoring.
- 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons freeze dried strawberries pulsed fine (see note*)
- 2 cups pastry flour can use cake flour
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar for coating the warm cookies
Instructions
Toast the pecans:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add pecans to your cookie sheet and toast for 5 - 7 minutes until fragrant, toasted, but not colored. Cool - then chop in a small food processor until well chopped with a little texture - not too fine.
Make the cookie dough:
- Place the room temperature butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle, mix until blended well, but do not over process.
- Add the strawberry powder, mix in on low speed. Add the flour and pecans - mix until just blended, and the strawberry powder is well distributed. Refrigerate the dough until very cold; 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add a piece of parcment paper or silpat liner.Scoop a well rounded mound of dough with a rounded #100 cookie scoop, roll quickly in your hands until round - drop each on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart. Cookies can also be formed with a spoon - use 1 inch ball of dough.
- Bake for 12 - 14 minutes until cooked through and a touch golden underneath.Remove from oven, cool slightly. Add 1 cup confectioner's sugar in a small bowl. When still a tad warm - add cookies to coat all over, one at a time, then add to a wire rack to cool completely. For a super-white coating, repeat this process, using more confectioner's sugar when cookies are cool.
- Store cookies in a container with a good seal. Eat within 10 days (they won't last that long!)
Notes
Freeze dried strawberries are available in specialty or health food shops - I bought mine at Trader Joe's. Use 1/2 cups and pulse fine = 3T.
Yes, you may use regular flour in this recipe, although pastry flour/cake flour produces a lighter crumb.
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg