Russian Tea Cakes

Russian Teacakes

When I plan on making Christmas cookies I have to include Russian Tea Cakes. I have such fun memories of making these with my Mother. She had this little gadget where you you put the nuts in a round chamber and cranked them while pressing down on a bar. Depending on the wheel you had inserted the nuts came out finely or coarsely chopped. For Russian Tea Cakes the nuts were always finely ground.  I have included a picture of it in the bottom of this post. Has anyone else ever had one?  We also used it to grate Parmesan cheese.

We would get all our ingredients together and start the process of making the dough using Mom’s Kitchen Aid mixer. Chilled dough would be rolled into balls. Mom told me to make the balls all the same size so they would bake evenly. She said the first time I helped her make them I was about 6. She said I was intent on getting them even and I rolled them all out for her. After that it was my job to roll out the Russian Teacakes every year.

I always think of my Mother when I make them today. She’s been gone a couple of years but I feel like she is still with me when I make these cookies.

Russian Teacakes

1 c. butter

½ c. powdered sugar, plus extra for coating

1 t. vanilla

2 ¼ c. flour

¼ t. salt

¾ c. finely chopped nuts, nearly ground

 Mix butter, ½ cup sugar and vanilla well. Stir flour and salt together and then add to butter mixture. Mix well and stir in nuts. Wrap dough and chill. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom. While still warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar. Dust again with sugar once cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.