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–+ servings

Russian Tea Cakes

russian tea cakes on a plate on a counter
These cookies go by many names, but we've always called them Russian Tea Cakes in my family. They only use 5 ingredients, are deliciously sweet and egg free.
Beth
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 24

Ingredients

  • 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups unsalted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, stir flour and salt together and set aside. Sift the flour if you can. If not, no biggie - the cookies will just be a little more dense.
  • In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
  • Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour and salt mixture. It will seem dry and crumbly at first, but just keep stirring until it smooths out. Chill dough for 30-60 minutes. Dough should be cold and easy to work with, not sticking to your hands. If it's too sticky, refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400º F. Roll dough into approximately 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They'll puff up just a little bit so leave a little space between them. I like to use a shiny, aluminum baking sheet instead of a dark one so they don't get too done.
  • Fill a bowl with more powdered sugar while they are baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set (they won't look done or be browned except for on the bottom, but will hold their shape). While the cookies are still warm, carefully roll in to bowl of powdered sugar using a fork to scoop them out and set aside to cool.
  • Enjoy these "popable" cookies with a cup of coffee or glass of milk!

Notes

  • Nutritional Information is for 4 cookies, but does not include extra powdered sugar added after they are baked. 
  • If you want to sift the flour, but don't have a sifter, try using a mesh strainer to "shake" the flour through.
  • If you want them to have a snowball look, let them cool completely, then sprinkle more powdered sugar over the tops with a sifter or mesh strainer.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: All nutrition values are per serving and approximate. They will vary depending on products and quantities used.

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