Mexican wedding cookies gone vegan! Coconut oil, walnuts, pecans baked to perfection and coated in all the powdered sugar. This cookie recipe is a staple for Christmas cookie season!
I’ve never met a cookie with so many names. In our family, we call them Russian tea cakes, but they also go by Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, Southern Pecan Butterballs, Italian Wedding Cookies, Sand Tarts. I mean the list really does go on!
The only conclusion I draw is this cookie is loved worldwide. But for consistency sake, we’ll call them Mexican Wedding Cookies.
What’s not to love? Buttery cookie filled with nuts and rolled in sugar. It’s everything bad for you but tastes so good!
Ingredients in Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies:
- Coconut oil – I used refined because it has less of a coconut flavor
- Flour
- Salt
- Walnuts + Pecans – yes, both!
- Vanilla
- Powdered Sugar – ensure it’s a vegan brand
Note: Not all powdered sugar is vegan! You can purchase a vegan brand to ensure these are 100% vegan.
How to make vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies:
- Start by creaming together coconut oil and vanilla. The coconut oil should be soft and scoopable. Similar to room temperate butter.
- Next, you’ll want to blend your nuts very finely. I like mine slightly coarser than flour.
- Then add flour and sugar to food processor and pulse 1-2 times until combined.
- Combine dry to the wet ingredients and blend until just combined. The dough might be crumbly due to high flour content. It should be pliable with hands (like the picture above)
If it is not, try adding about 1/2 Tablespoon of water or almond milk until consistency is reached!
Roll cookie dough into uniform balls and place on baking sheet. At this point, I like to preheat the oven and stick the whole baking sheet into the freezer.
This cookie recipe is a no chill recipe meaning it doesn’t have to chill before baking; however if the dough is cold it will help prevent spreading.
Once the cookies are baked and cooled, roll them in powdered sugar
Then you can roll them a second time. You know, for good measure.
These cookies are an all-around crowd pleaser. Perfect for any holiday occasion, these festive cookies are a festive family tradition in my house (and now the vegan version for me!)
These cookies are melt in your mouth good. It’s also the perfect cookie recipe to fool your friends and family with the “I can’t believe this is vegan” game.
If you tried this vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!
If you like these vegan cookies, you’ll LOVE:
Vegan Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
Vegan Chai Snickerdoodles
Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil softened (use refined coconut oil for a less coconutty flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spoon & level method
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar plus more for rolling
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 Tablespoons almond milk or water if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Using a hand mixer, beat coconut oil and vanilla until nice and fluffy.
- In a food processor, blend walnuts and pecans until fine. Add flour, powdered sugar, and salt and pulse 1-2 times until blended.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and blend until combined. The dough will be crumbly yet you should be able to form the balls with your hands. If too dry, add 1/2-1 teaspoon of water or dairy-free milk.
- Using a cookie scoop, form round balls and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Roll cooled cookies in powdered sugar. Can roll them a second time if desired.
Video
Notes
- Can substitute pecans or walnuts for all of one variety so you don't have to get two types of nuts.
- Try toasting nuts before processing in the food processor to take these cookies to the next level!
Nutrition
Please note this post may contain affiliate links which do not impact the cost to you but gives me a small commission. Thank you for your support!
Excellent cookie! Actually does melt in your mouth!
Yes!! Glad you enjoyed, Lori!
I did not put dough in freezer as you recommended and they spread, just like you said they would. However, I thought maybe it was because I used pastry flour. But! I made another batch with half the oil and still did not put in freezer and they stayed ball shape. Soooo yummy!
Oh thanks for letting me know! Glad they turned out okay! And maybe it was the pastry flour! Never tested with that before.
Is there an alternative to using walnuts? Food allergy :/
You can use all pecans instead!
Thank you!!!!
This is the first time I made them and they are melt in your mouth delicious, so thank you! Do you have any storage recommendations. Freezer? Fridge? How long?
You’re welcome! I would store them in the fridge for about 1 week.
Hello! Do you have the metric measurements?
Thank you!
Hi Mila! Sorry, I do not have any metric measurements. I realize this is helpful though and I’m considering adding it to my baking recipes!
Do you know how many cookies this recipe yields?
12-14 cookies depending on size! Just updated the recipe.