Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones)

Photo: Mexico in My Kitchen

Mely's polvorones are pecans, butter and flour, and they fall apart the second they hit your mouth. Seven ingredients and no eggs. The easiest showstopper here.

From Mely Martínez at Mexico in My Kitchen · @mexicoinmykitchen

Finely ground pecans, butter and flour, no eggs, rolled into balls, baked low and rolled twice in powdered sugar.

You need

• 2 cups (200 g) pecans or walnuts
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, for rolling

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 325°F and line two sheets with parchment.
2. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped. Take out 1 cup, then grind the rest until it looks like cornmeal (stop before it turns to butter).
3. Mix the flour, salt and all the pecans in a bowl.
4. Beat the butter with 1/3 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture gradually on low until a soft dough forms.
5. Roll tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and set them 1 1/2 inches apart. Don't overwork the dough.
6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until firm and just browning underneath.
7. Cool 3 minutes on the sheet, then roll each warm cookie in the powdered sugar. Once cool, roll them again for a thick white coat.

For a swap: Sturdy. Give them a second roll in sugar before you leave the house.

Written in our own words from Mely Martínez's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones), Mexico in My Kitchen.

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