This vegan and gluten-free take on Mexican wedding cookies may have you questioning if they might just be the real deal. Studded with pecans, these cookies are deliciously buttery, crispy, perfectly sweet, and SO classic.
They’re made in 1 bowl with 7 ingredients and no chill time. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Let’s bake!
What are Mexican Wedding Cookies?
With a name like Mexican wedding cookies, you might think these powdered sugar-coated, buttery, nutty cookies are served at weddings in Mexico. Not so fast!
Instead, how they got their name and where they came from is a bit of a mystery! Similar cookies go by the names Russian tea cakes, Mexican wedding cakes, Swedish tea cookies, and more. They’re also similar to an ancient Arab cookie and a buttery Greek cookie.
One thing is certain: Variations of these delicious cookies are embraced around the world. The following is our vegan and gluten-free take!
How to Make Vegan Gluten-Free Mexican Wedding Cookies
First things first: These perfectly buttery cookies need butter! Softened vegan butter, to be exact. After whipping the butter on its own, powdered sugar gets added for sweetness and a smooth, fluffy cookie dough. Also, vanilla extract because you gotta!
Next come the dry ingredients: Our 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend works its magic along with almond flour for a neutral, sweet, and balanced cookie with the perfect crumb. It’s pretty heavenly!
Chopped pecans are really the je ne sais quoi of Mexican wedding cookies. They bring magical texture and the classic wedding cookie taste, but if you don’t like them or can’t have them, you can sub hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts!
Chilling? Never heard of her. We roll these babies right up and bake! No time to waste!
After baking, we roll the cookies in powdered sugar while still warm to create a sticky base for the second and final dusting of powdered sugar to stick. Then they’re ready for enjoying!
We hope you LOVE these Mexican wedding cookies. They’re:
Crispy
Buttery
Perfectly sweet
Tender
Nutty
& Undetectably vegan & gluten-free!
Whip these cookies up for weddings, holiday parties, Easter celebrations, and beyond! Pair them with a glass of dairy-free milk or Easy Vegan Eggnog, and you’ll be living your best life.
More Easy Holiday Treats
- 5-Ingredient Almond Butter Dark Chocolate Snowballs
- Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Pecan Shortbread (Butter-Free)
- 3-Ingredient Chocolate Fudge (Dairy-Free)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Gluten-Free Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter (we like Miyoko’s)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar (ensure organic for vegan-friendly)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup MB 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend*
- 3/4 cup almond flour (we like Wellbee’s)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans*
FOR ROLLING
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar (ensure organic for vegan-friendly)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a medium bowl add softened vegan butter and powdered sugar. Use a handheld or stand mixer to beat the mixture on high until it’s light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat again.
- Add gluten free flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix on low until just combined. Add the chopped pecans and give it one final stir.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll into little balls. Place them about an inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until the tops are just starting to turn golden. Fill a small bowl with powdered sugar and set aside. Let the cookies cool on your baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before generously rolling in the powdered sugar. Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them in the powdered sugar again and enjoy!
- Delicious with dairy-free milk or a cold glass of eggnog! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. If making ahead of time, you can store the pre-portioned raw cookie dough in the freezer and leave in the oven for a minute or two longer if baking from frozen.
Video
Notes
*If you don’t like or can’t have pecans, you can substitute hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Loosely adapted from Food.com.
Roz says
These are much better than store bought. Husband said they were perfect!
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed them, Roz. Thank you for sharing! xo
Melinda says
Love the texture and feel of these cookies!! I used Cup 4 Cup gf flour and Miyokos butter. They baked perfectly!! Brings me back to my wedding day. I am of Mexican descent and it is customary to have a plate of Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones) at each guest’s table. Yum!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Melinda. And oh how fun!! Love that wedding tradition! Thank you sharing! xo
kristie says
i’ve double-batched this recipe twice… best snowballs on the west coast! 🌊
Love it! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them, Kristie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Janeen says
The bottoms burnt at 10 minutes, only made 11 cookies
Hi Janeen, sorry to hear your cookies burnt, did you happen to make any modifications to the recipe? If you used 1 Tbsp to measure the cookies, it should make 18!
Mary Forrestall says
I made these wedding tea cakes using the MB GF flout blend and they turned out amazing!! Followed recipe exactly, including not chilling the dough before baking. Oh my goodness…so yummy!!! My favorite cookie growing up and I can enjoy vegan and GF!
I love all three products! The waffles; chocolate cake and now using the flour blend. Thank you MB for these products. I’m a huge fan of them :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Mary. Thank you so much for your kind words and support! xo
Sheri says
Mine melted into puddles while baking. Maybe it would be better to chill first like I’ve done with other GF cookies that need to hold their shape. Delicious, just not gift worthy. I did use Bob’s 1-1 baking blend, so maybe that was the problem.
Sorry to hear that, Sheri! Did you use more of the Bob’s blend? It’s not as absorbent as our blend, which could cause the cookies to spread. Otherwise, if the dough sat out a long time before baking, perhaps that could contribute and chilling would help, but we suspect the flour is the issue.
Bakingbiking Mom says
So yummy!! They turned out perfect! Thank you!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Bakingbiking mom says
I’m sorry that my star rating didn’t show up! I wish I could change but can’t. It’s a positive ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thanks so much for the updated review! xoxo
Karen says
Will this recipe work with regular white flour instead of the gluten free blend?
Hi Karen! We haven’t tried it, but it should work well!
Adelle says
Your flour blend isn’t available in Canada. Would a 1 to 1 blend work in this recipe?
Hi Adelle! You could substitute another gluten-free flour blend (such as our DIY blend) for the Minimalist Baker GF Flour Blend, but we haven’t tested it and can’t guarantee the result. You may need to use more of it for a similar texture (reference the photos). Let us know if you try it out!
Felicia says
IF I wish to just use regular flour instead of gluten free for any of your recipes, is there a formula for that substitution or do I just replace the gluten free flour with white flour? Right now I want to make the Mexican
wedding cookies for Christmas.
I love your recipes but we don’t eat gluten free so I try to adapt. I already am on your email list.
Thank you so much for your help.
Felicia
Hi Felicia! For most recipes using our new Minimalist Baker Gluten-Free Flour Blend you can substitute the gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour! Thank you for your support. xo
Blake Spencer says
Do you think I could substitute sunflower oil for the butter? I tried it in a vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe and it yielded a melt in your mouth result. Maybe I will try it and let you know!
Yum! We haven’t tried any other oils in this recipe, but if you try it let us know how it goes!
MS says
Yum Blake, I have been looking for an amazing gf and vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe with no luck :( do you mind sharing your recipe? All I have made are not the best. Thank you!!!
We have a recipe for vegan, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies here!
Lyn says
These look great. Can you use regular all purpose flour in place of the gluten free?
Hi Lyn! We haven’t tried all-purpose flour in this recipe, but we think it should work! Let us know if you try it. xo
Debi Griffith says
Can I make these with all purpose flour?
Hi Debi, we haven’t tried these with all-purpose flour, but we think it could work in place of the gluten-free flour!
Danielle says
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegan butter?
Hi Danielle! Coconut oil might work here, it could make the cookies more prone to crumbling though. However, we haven’t tried these ones with coconut oil and can’t guarantee results! Let us know if you try it!
Mar says
In Mexico they’re usually known as nutty kisses (besos de nuez). First time I hear they’re called wedding cookies.
Thanks for sharing, Mar!
Edith says
They are good, but I was going to say there is no such thing as Mexican wedding cookies…
Kristy says
Adding a bit of almond flavoring to these is delicious!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Kristy!
Georgina Ramson says
I want to try so many of the recipes you post, and have purchased your cookbook which I really enjoy.
Just one problem….I have been tested and have no issue with gluten. So I have to hope that I can just sub my regular flours for the gluten free ones in the recipes.
Unless one has gluten sensitivity it is not healthy to go gluten free as grains have that protein for a reason and it can be very nutritious for the population that can eat it.
So, having said all this, I intend to sub regular whole grain flours for the gluten free. I would be happy to report results to you if you would like that.
Thanks for the wonderful recipes and your super cookbook! It has been a huge help in guiding me to a Vegan lifestyle.
Hi Georgina! We think all-purpose flour would work in this recipe! Let us know if you try it. xo
Lee says
I know these cookies are classic almond cookies but I’m allergic to almonds! Any sub for me?
Hi Lee! You could try substituting cashew flour for the almond flour!
Nancy Greenwalt says
What can I use instead of powder sugar?
Hi Nancy, powdered sugar is pretty important for these to have the right texture!
Elizabeth says
We have made something very similar to these at Christmas every year in our house. We call them Pecan Puffs, recipe from The Joy of Cooking. To make them festive, we split the batter, dying one half red and the other green.
Cute!