Coconut-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies
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Lime and coconut give these Mexican wedding cookies a tropical flair.
Michael and I were married on May 5, 2001, coinciding with Cinco de Mayo. The picture below was taken right before our wedding when we were both in our twenties, when we had a lot less wrinkles and a lot more hair! I distinctly recall Michael being on his lunch break during this photo session, and he was not exactly thrilled to pose for these cheesy engagement photos (believe me, I spared you the really cheesy ones)!
In honor of the holiday, we served Mexican wedding cookies, known as polvorones or galletas de boda, at our wedding. These cookies are popular all over the world and known by different names, such as snowball cookies, butter balls, or Russian tea cakes, to name just a few. They are crisp, shortbread-like cookies made from ground nuts, flour, butter, and sugar. This version is flavored with lime, pecans, and ground coconut.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the flour, salt, confectioners’ sugar, pecans and coconut in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Process until the pecans and coconut are finely ground, and the mixture looks like sand.
Add the butter, lime zest, and vanilla extract.
Process until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap and chill until firm enough to roll, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Measure the dough into heaping teaspoon-size pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls about 1-1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the edges of the cookies barely begin to brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
Let cool on the baking sheets, then roll in the confectioners’ sugar while still warm.
Let the cookies cool on a rack. Then roll again in confectioners’ sugar once they are cool.
Serve and enjoy!
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Coconut-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies
Lime and coconut give these Mexican wedding cookies a tropical flair.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar, plus about ¾ cup more for coating
- ⅓ cup pecans
- ¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 packed teaspoon lime zest, from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, salt, confectioners' sugar, pecans and coconut. Process until the pecans and coconut are finely ground, and the mixture looks like sand. Add the butter, lime zest, and vanilla extract; process until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm enough to roll, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Measure the dough into heaping teaspoon-size pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls about 1½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the edges of the cookies barely begin to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then roll in the confectioners' sugar while still warm. Let the cookies cool on a rack, then roll again in confectioners' sugar once they are cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. To serve, arrange the cookies on a platter and use a fine sieve to dust with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Cookie Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Roll the dough into balls and then roll them in confectioners' sugar. Let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) Once they are cool, roll them in confectioners' sugar again. To Freeze After Baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 65
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Sodium: 28mg
- Cholesterol: 9mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I wanted to make an easy dessert for a Cinco De Mayo potluck and decided to try this recipe. Yup, this was an easy one to put together. My kids were the taste testers and asked, with their lips all covered in powered sugar, “can I have another one?” I had to tell them no, since the rest were going to the party, but I promised I’d make them another batch.
Made these for Christmas along with many other desserts and cookies and these were my favorite . Rich with the fresh flavor of lime and coconut, they are super flavorful and a breeze to make.
I have never liked wedding cookies but I had the ingredients on hand and was intrigued by the combination! They were so good I have made 5 batches and given them away as gifts! I think they are the best cookie I have ever made!! Also easy to put together in the food processor!!
My husband asked if there were any more ( he does not usually eat desert) tonight after dinner and I told him I had given them all away as gifts with one more batch chilling in the fridge to make later he and would just have to wait! Have to add I did use kosher salt which I felt complimented the cookie well !
I made these for a cookie exchange and they were a huge hit. The lime is a great addition and makes it an even lighter cookie. These will be my go to for Mexican wedding cakes. Thanks!
Jen, do you think leaving out the coconut will affect the end result? My husband is allergic to coconut but loves lime desserts. Thanks!
HI Mila, Yes, I think you could omit the coconut and use more pecans in its place. Hope your husband enjoys!
These are very unique cookies! They turned out great. Rolling them in icing sugar while they are warm still melts the sugar and creates a solid coating around the cookie. Lovely recipe.
Made these yesterday and they were a HUGE hit!! Everyone said they had so much more flavor than regular Mexican Wedding Cookies and I agree. I love all of your recipes and the way you’ve tweaked them to perfection. Thank you!!
I made these cookies last night and they are super scrumptious! I only had unsweetened coconut flakes and that did not seem to affect the taste or texture of the cookie. Thank you again for another great recipe!
Hi there, I only have unsweetened coconut flakes. What adjustments do I have to make to the recipe in this case? thanks, Sandra
Hi Sandra, I think unsweetened coconut would work here with no adjustments. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi there 🙂
I’m making these for a Spanish Christmas party and I was wondering about the quanity. .. how many does this recipe make and if not alot, How would I make enough for a couple of Christmas tins? Thank you
Hi Nichole, this recipe will give you about 30 cookies. Not sure how large your tins are, but hopefully the benchmark of 30 will give you a sense as to how many batches you’ll need. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thank you sooo much for your quick response! I love your stuff ! And I know they will be a hit, if i don’t burn them lol ..happy holidays!