Date Pecan Balls Russian Tea Cakes Food

MOM'S RUSSIAN TEA CAKES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Stir in the nuts. If dough is too soft, chill it until you can work it easily with your hands.
• Scoop 1 tablespoon balls of dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown. Remove from oven and cool for just a minute, until you can handle them. Fill a small bowl with powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated.
• Place on a rack to cool. (Once cookies are cooled, you may want to re-roll them in more powdered sugar.)
• You can freeze these cookies or make them up to 4 days ahead of serving.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-13 minutes. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm. Cool on wire racks.

BUTTERY RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Mix margarine, 1/2 C powdered sugar, and the vanilla.
• Stir in flour, salt, and nuts.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake until set, but not brown, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Roll in powdered sugar while warm; cool.
• Roll in powdered sugar again.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

DATE PECAN TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Place dates in a large bowl. Combine boiling water and baking soda; pour over dates. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside. , In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with date mixture. Stir in pecans. , Pour into a greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely. , In a small bowl, combine spread ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with bread.

SNOWBALLS (AKA MELTAWAYS OR RUSSIAN TEA CAKES)

Steps:

• Cream butter with sugar.
• Add flavoring.
• Gradually add flour, mixing in thoroughly.
• Stir in nuts, chill.
• Form teaspoonfuls of dough into balls.
• Bake on ungreased sheet 20 minutes at 350 until PALE golden color.
• Roll while still warm in powdered sugar.
• Can also roll again in powdered sugar after they're cool.