Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Polvorones—whatever you call them, these delicate cookies are a delightful addition to any occasion.
Since my last update, I’ve spent time testing and revising recipes for a proposal, catching up with friends, and recovering from a recent bout of food poisoning. Rather than dwell on those weeks, I’ll focus on something that brought calm amid the chaos: pistachio polvorones. Baking these helped me pause, breathe, and find comfort.
I’ve wanted to share this pistachio polvorones recipe since my visit to San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery in April. After tasting their traditional version, I was inspired to develop a variation that highlights pistachios and almond meal. After months on the back burner, I’m finally sharing it.
Polvorones are a crumbly Spanish shortbread commonly known in the U.S. as Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes. Traditional versions are crumbly, not overly sweet, and typically include nuts such as pecans or walnuts. While these cookies are dusted in powdered sugar, I prefer a light coating so the sugar doesn’t overwhelm the texture and flavor.
This recipe takes liberties with the classic polvorón by nodding to the likely Levantine influences through the use of pistachios and almond meal. The result is a richly nutty cookie that differs from the pecan- or walnut-based versions but remains true to the crumbly shortbread spirit.
Baking these cookies requires a bit more handling than some simple drop cookies, but the repetitive motion of rolling dough into sugar is oddly soothing.
The dough begins like many shortbread recipes: butter and powdered sugar are beaten until pale and fluffy, then vanilla and almond extracts are added. A blend of all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour, plus a pinch of sea salt and warm cinnamon, are folded in. Shelled pistachios—some roughly chopped, some finely ground—are added along with almond meal. The dough is chilled until firm.
After chilling, tablespoon-sized rounds are rolled in powdered sugar and baked until they crackle and develop a light golden edge.
Once cooled, the cookies receive a final dusting of powdered sugar. Despite the double coating, they are not cloyingly sweet— the nutty, buttery base balances the sugar.
I usually arrange the cooled cookies on a platter and leave them out for nibbling, though they rarely last long. They pair beautifully with warm black tea or coffee, and a glass of milk is a welcome companion.
Pistachio Polvorones Recipe
Makes: About 3 dozen cookies
This version leans on pistachios and almond meal instead of traditional pecans or walnuts. If pistachios aren’t available, roasted pecans or walnuts would work, or increase the almond meal. The cookies are versatile and adapt well to substitutions.
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 cup / 120 g All-Purpose Flour
1 cup / 120 g Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or substitute with All-Purpose Flour)
1/4 teaspoon Fine Grain Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 cup / 226 g Unsalted Butter, softened
3/4 cup / 75 g Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
3/4 cup / 80 g Shelled Dry Roasted Pistachio Nuts (half roughly chopped, half finely ground)
1/4 cup / 20 g Almond meal / almond flourFor rolling:
1 1/2 cups / 150 g Powdered SugarPreparation:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the 3/4 cup powdered sugar and continue to whip on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix to combine.
On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. Briefly mix in the pistachios and almond meal. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, until firm.
Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized rounds. Coat each round thoroughly in powdered sugar and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the rounds for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and position a rack in the upper third.
Place the dough rounds about 1 inch apart and bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are lightly cracked and the edges are just turning golden, about 18–22 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, roll each cookie in the remaining powdered sugar and shake off any excess.
Storing: Store cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to a week. From experience, they rarely last that long.