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    Home > Recipes > Cookies

    Pecan Puffs

    Published: Dec 10, 2016 | Updated: May 13, 2022

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    These Mexican Wedding Cookies (aka Pecan Puffs) are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. Puffs of pecan that literally melt in your mouth!

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    Day 8 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!  

    These Pecan Puffs (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes)  are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!

    After 3 years of Christmas Cookies on AHC my “Family Recipe Well” was running dry, so I sent out a cry for help in true 2016 fashion.

    No, it wasn’t a tweet, so I guess it was more circa 2010…don’t be so judgy.

    These Pecan Puffs (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes)  are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!

    No fewer than three people sent back this recipe for “Pecan Puffs”, which was clearly my grandmother’s cute name for Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Teacakes.

    Yes, I’ve already technically posted a recipe but three family members can’t be wrong. {They certainly weren't wrong about Grandma's Chewy Molasses Cookies either!}

    These Pecan Puffs (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes)  are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!

    Mexican Wedding Cookies

    And I wasn’t disappointed. They were delightfully crumbly but not dry, the ideal Mexican Wedding Cookies. The pecans and sugar were perfect!

    These Pecan Puffs (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cookies or Russian Tea Cakes)  are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!

    These Mexican Wedding Cookies, or Pecan Puffs, taste like sweet pecans and nostalgia. Pecan desserts always have that extra bit of love baked into them for me. My Great-Grandmother's Pecan Tassies have been one of my favorite things to request since before I can remember. In addition to making a huge feast whenever family came to visit her, RoRo would bake up dozens of everyone’s favorite treats to send home with them. 

    These Russian Tea Cakes are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. They literally melt in your mouth!

     I pre-toasted my pecans for maximum flavor and added a little salt. Old recipes never call for salt – why? Such an easy flavor boost!

    But these Mexican Wedding Cookies were heaven! Just more proof that Grandma knows best!

    These Pecan Puffs are Day 8 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies! You won't want to miss my Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies,  Festive Holiday Spritz, Ginger Orange Almond Biscotti,  No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies,  Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies, Butterscotch Chews, or Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies from Day 1!

    Grandma's Pecan Puffs stacked in blue bowl

    Grandma’s Pecan Puffs

    Chef Lindsey
    These Pecan Puffs are the perfect combination of crumbly and soft. A delicate pecan flavor that improves as they sit! They literally melt in your mouth!
    PRINT Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 24 Cookies
    Calories 146 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup butter (room temperature)
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted and cooled)
    • Confectioner’s sugar (as needed for rolling)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 300°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
    • In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
    • On low speed add the flour, salt and pecans; mix until combined.
    • Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
    • Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
    • Cool 5 minutes then roll in sugar. Cool completely and roll in confectioners sugar again.
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-6 days.
    Keyword christmas cookies, cookie recipe, crunchy cookies, easy cookies, heirloom recipe, pecan recipes
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cheflindseyfarr

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    Comments

    1. Rebecca Bernier says

      June 29, 2021 at 7:52 pm

      Lindsey, are there any changes for high altitude baking? I live outside of Denver at about 1000 feet higher. I'm still trying to figure out baking here!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        July 09, 2021 at 1:31 pm

        Hi Rebecca, I am not familiar with high altitude baking unfortunately. These cookies do seem pretty low risk, but, based on what I've read, you might want to just bake them a bit longer. I wouldn't necessarily increase the oven temperature or they might dry out even more than usual. My best advice is to test a half batch and then adjust!

        Reply
    2. Katie says

      December 14, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      My grandmother made these cookies for us when we were children. She didn't flatten the bottoms but instead left them in a ball shape. We called them snowball cookies. They were delicious. I never got the recipe but I'm sure it was similar to yours as I helped her make them. My job was to cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla by hand and her job was to add the flour and chopped pecans. I'm going to try your recipe this Christmas!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 15, 2020 at 9:37 am

        Thats a lovely memory, Katie! I didn't flatten mine intentionally, they just did that when they baked! I could add more flour but then they'd be drier. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Isabela says

      April 22, 2020 at 7:06 am

      Can I freeze the left over mix (uncooked)??

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        April 22, 2020 at 7:55 am

        Absolutely! But you can also freeze the baked cookies:-)

        Reply
        • Isabela says

          April 22, 2020 at 8:22 am

          Yeih!!! Just made them! They are absolutely incredible!!! Tks so much

          Reply
          • Lindsey says

            April 22, 2020 at 8:23 am

            Great! Thank you for stopping by Isabela! I'm glad you enjoyed them!

            Reply
            • Isabela says

              May 15, 2020 at 8:01 am

              They are soooo sooo good! I’m making them again. Do you think I can make them with whole wheat flour?

            • Lindsey says

              May 15, 2020 at 1:32 pm

              I'm so glad! I definitely do! Whole wheat flour does need more moisture than AP so if they won't hold together, just add a bit more butter.

    4. Hester says

      September 04, 2018 at 3:07 pm

      I have been making these for over 40 years. Now my son and his girl friend want me to make them for their wedding. What I would like to know is how I can make them early and keep them fresh for the wedding day. They want at least 24 dozen because there is going to be at least 100 guest at their wedding. Any help would be appreciated!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        October 04, 2018 at 5:35 pm

        Hi Hester! I suggest freezing them! Then after thawing roll in confectioner sugar again for the white outside. Happy baking! And congratulations to your son!

        Reply
    5. Debbie Moore says

      December 27, 2017 at 2:59 pm

      Pecan puffs of been a tradition of mine since my grandmother used to make them every Christmas! And now my daughters are making them also as a tradition of theirs. But.......I hate to tell you this, but it was not your grandmothers cute little name. I have my grandmothers old JOY of COOKING circa 1931 book and they are called Pecan Puffs in that book. Not sure when they started to be called Mexican wedding cookies I don't know who created them first. All I know is that I love them and will have them every year in honor of my grandmother! 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 27, 2017 at 11:51 pm

        Perhaps that is where she got the recipe! I love them too!

        Reply
    6. Laura says

      December 10, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      45 minutes is that correct?

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 26, 2017 at 10:54 pm

        Hi Laura, Yes because the oven is at 300 degrees. YOu could probably bake them at 350 for around 15, but I haven't tried it with this particular recipe. I have with my walnut balls

        Reply
      • Debbie Moore says

        December 27, 2017 at 2:59 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
    7. Laura says

      December 10, 2017 at 4:50 pm

      This recipe says 45 minutes is that correct? I’m afraid I’ll burn them. Please confirm for me. Thank you

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 26, 2017 at 11:05 pm

        Hi Laura, It is 45 because the oven temperature is only 300 degrees and the puffs are cold from the refrigerator. you can bake them hotter for less time but watch them! You just want the outsides to be a golden brown.

        Reply
      • Stephanie says

        December 20, 2021 at 9:00 am

        45 minutes at 300 degrees did not burn the cookies, but they sure were NOT the melt in your mouth cookie I was looking for; they were hard as a rock and un-fun to eat. I will redo for my own satisfaction. Such a bummer

        Reply
        • Lindsey says

          January 22, 2022 at 10:10 am

          It says "45 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown." All ovens are different and cookie size varies, the most important thing to do is check. I personally like the underbake these types of cookies...usually only 20 minutes or so, but that isn't technically the correct way for this type. They are supposed to be dry and crumbly.

          Reply
    8. Norma says

      October 05, 2017 at 2:39 am

      Amazing looks perfect added this recipe to my Christmas checklist will prepare it definetly.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        October 06, 2017 at 9:38 pm

        You won't regret it, Norma!

        Reply
    9. Catering Den Haag says

      June 06, 2017 at 6:06 am

      This looks incredible! Yum!

      Reply
    10. Mary France says

      March 28, 2017 at 3:00 pm

      Love this!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        May 09, 2017 at 12:07 pm

        Thank you, Mary Frances!

        Reply
      • Julio says

        June 07, 2017 at 1:52 am

        There is nothing more satisfying that a couple of pecan puffs and a glass of cold milk. And of course in great company of family and friends.

        Reply
    11. Jan says

      March 06, 2017 at 10:39 am

      Beautiful, sweet, comforting, and so yummy. I’m in. Thank you and have a pleasant day !

      Reply
    12. STL Food says

      January 29, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      Wow. These sound delicious! I can't wait to try out this recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
    13. Monica says

      January 10, 2017 at 1:04 am

      This recipe is a variation of Joy of Cooking's Pecan Puffs. The name is from that book. I believe you should give her credit.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        January 18, 2017 at 1:10 pm

        Hi Monica! Thank you for your comment. I got the recipe from my (now deceased) grandmother and so I just credited her. It is hard to find the origins of heirloom recipes! I have a vintage Joy of Cooking and I did, indeed, find "Pecan Puffs". It seems that the recipe is the same except for my grandmother reduced the pecans by half...economical as always! Happy baking!

        Reply
    14. Kathryn Mader says

      January 09, 2017 at 2:42 am

      Honestly, I think if I rotated between chocolate chip cookies and some type of wedding cookie (can't wait to try your pecan puffs), I would be happy forever...with a few of your other choice cookie recipes thrown in from time to time, just to shake things up a tad. I hope you have a wonderful 2017. This is a bold statement, but of all the blogs I have followed (and loved some of them), yours is my absolute favorite. There is plenty of talent out there, but you have a whimsical charm and darling sense of humor that is so pleasing and comfortable, and it sets you apart. You are down to earth, which makes you relatable. I earmark so many of your recipes (pie, anyone?) that I will love to make one day. THANK YOU for all your efforts and expertise to encourage me in my kitchen. God bless you in everything, Lindsey and I would love to meet you someday. So if you write a cookbook and have a signing, I will show up! Take care!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        January 18, 2017 at 1:14 pm

        Hi Kathryn! What a wonderful, heartwarming comment! Thank you so much Kathryn for being such a loyal reader and commenter! It is for readers and bakers like you that I do this! It is a lot of work (along with my other job) and it brings me such joy to hear that you love the blog and the recipes! I would love to meet you as well! I would love to write a cookbook one day but until then I am the pastry chef at Restaurant Marc Forgione in NYC in case you happen to find yourself in the city! God bless you as well and I am wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017! Best, Lindsey

        Reply
    15. Barbara says

      December 18, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      Yum. Made some last week. I'd forgotten how good they are. Thanks for the reminder.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        December 20, 2016 at 7:41 pm

        I'm so glad!!! Positively addictive xoxoxoxo

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lindsey! I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert! 

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