I've been giving some new recipes a try before the Christmas season rolls around (I know, I can't believe I'm thinking that far ahead!). My husband isn't complaining as he's my guinea pig - I've been sending my experiments to him and his soldiers who are currently deployed.

Anyway, I'm having a terrible time getting these mexican wedding cakes figued out. The recipe I have calls for a 400F oven (I'm using a Wilton nonstick jelly roll pan), but the balls seem to spread on the pan, and brown way too quickly. I turned it down to 375F and that helped somewhat, but still browned some and again, they spread a little still on the pan.

Also, it says to immediately roll the balls in sugar once they are out of the oven, and when I did that, the outside of the balls became kind of sticky and doughy? I let them cool instead for a few min, tried again, felt nice and firm - started rolling, got sticky. Is this normal? I split one open and the inside is cooked all the way through.

Anybody have any tips they can share? I love these things, but they are becoming a nightmare for me to master!

I've been told that my Russian Tea Cakes are "exactly like Mexican wedding cakes" so I'll jump in here...

The dough I make (it has nuts in it, don't know if yours does) is very stiff and almost sort of crumbly when ready, though it sticks together when you roll into balls. Mine don't spread...If yours spread, the dough is either too soft or the butter was too warm...?

LET THEM COOL before rolling in the powdered sugar, if that's what you're rolling in. Cool, roll in sugar, let sit a bit, then roll again. They are getting gummy because they're too warm. They should be cool to the touch--any residual heat is what's causing that.

PM me if you want the recipe I've been using forever. My mom made them since I was a baby, and I've never had a Christmas without them; I make (and eat) zillions of them at the holidays.

Yes, let them cool a bit. I think they are basically the same, Russian teas and Mexican cakes....I made Paula Deen's Mexican recipe for my Dad, he liked them. I don't care for nuts so I didn't test them out.

I make these every year and have for over twenty years.

I use my Tupperware melon baller and whack on the side of a bowl, I use the larger one.(it has two sizes) Rolling might make the dough soft from the warmth of your hands causing it to spread.

This is one cookie that I find bakes very well on insulated cookie sheets, or you could use parchment paper.

I roll them in the sugar when they are cool, it still sticks for me and isn't gummy.

My recipe doesn't use nuts.

400 sounds too high to me.

If you need a recipe just ask.

Hope this helps a bit.

That sound yummy, can I have a the recipe please??

Thanks!

do you roll them in powdered sugar twice. roll them when they come out of the oven. they will be a little sticky. roll them again when they are cool. as for them going flat, i roll them in a dense ball the size of a walnut. i hope that helps.

I make them all the time too, and perhaps you are leaving them in the oven too long. Take them out before they turn brown, the bottom is the only part that should be slightly browned. They will harden a bit as they cool.

This is the recipe I use

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
Powered sugar

Beat butter until fluffy in medium bowl; beat in sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour. Refrigerate, covered, until dough is firm enough to shape, about 2 hours.

Shape dough into 1½- inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees until beginning to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.
Roll warm cookies in powered sugar; cool on wire racks. Makes about 3½ dozen
VARIATIONS:
One-fourth cup ground pecans can be mixed into the cookie dough. Cookies can be made into crescent or log shapes, if desired.

I don't roll them in the sugar when warm, I wait until they are cool, and it works.

I have also sprinkled the powdered sugar on them While warm with a sifter or a wire strainer. Works great and keeps your hands from getting messy.

These seem to be a real popular item. I bake mine at 350, the bottoms are slighly brown, the top just barely. I wait about 5 minutes before I roll in sugar. The reason you roll when warm is so the sugar will melt a little on the cake, they will be a little sticky. When they are completely cool, roll again to get a nice coverage. When you first taste these, they should melt somewhat in your mouth, (from the first dipping, which was warm). I do put pecans in the dough, however I grind them very fine. I also use a plastic tub filled with PS , lay the cookies in the tub and shake back and forth, this coats them pretty well. Also I use parchment paper to bake on. Sounds like you have some good response, hope the guys overseas enjoy your cookies. Good Luck.

Mine also spread just a bit, but it's one of our popular cookies. Add a bit more flour to stiffen your dough. I do and it works fine. I also use a cookie scoop to make the balls (size 24).

My recipe calls for rolling in powdered sugar WHILE STILL WARM and then rolling again when cool. If you've ever tasted one right out of the oven .... well.... bleck! I think the warm rolling allows the sugar to kinda absorb into the cookie and the cool rolling is the actual coating for the cookie. I also bake them at 400.