Every Wednesday night, about seven of our friends come over to watch Lost. Most Wednesday nights, Ken brings over a grocery bag packed with his homemade popcorn maker, corn kernels, and spritz-on butter. Some Wednesday nights I manage to think ahead and actually bake something for everybody. Once it was chocolate chip cookie bars. Last night it was those addictive little cookies known as Russian Tea Cakes.
It's hard to believe a cookie that consists of just butter, powdered sugar, and flour can taste so good. Russian Tea Cakes have a delicious crumbly, shortbread-like texture, and a simple yet totally satisfying buttery vanilla taste. And that's really all there is to say. Any time something is delicious and totally satisfying, not to mention easy to throw together, I'm in.
Russian Tea Cakes
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
sprinkle of water
extra powdered sugar, for rolling
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the flour until dough holds together-- sprinkle in water if needed.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Let cookies cool, then roll or sprinkle again before serving.
Makes about 36.
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Because I am a nut lover, I find these MUST have either walnuts or pecans. To each, their own, though..
ReplyDeleteAlso, my MIL made these at Christmas time, and didn't have enough powdered sugar to roll all of them in. Imagine my surprise when I found that I actually liked the plain ones better! Try it!
yeah! the plain ones are good, too. none of that inhaling the powdered sugar and coughing business :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! Russian tea cakes are so addictive. You should also try adding nuts to your recipe. It really gives an extra flavour. I'm sure your friends will love it too!
ReplyDeleteI made these last year using white choc chips, so good
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