Vegan Snowball Cookies (Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Why did my Italian wedding cookies flatten? ›

Chilling the Fat:Many cookie recipes include fats like butter. Refrigerating the dough solidifies the fat, which helps control the spread of the cookies during baking. If the dough is not chilled, the cookies might spread too much, resulting in thin and flat cookies.

Why did my snowball cookies turn out flat? Snowball cookies should not flatten. Since they do not contain a leavening agent, the main factor to check is that the dough is chilled before baking.

Some even refer to them as Russian tea cookies. Yet, speculation indicates that in the 1950s, the name changed to Mexican wedding cake or cookies in the U.S. to diverge from any Cold War context due to the strained relations with Russia at the time.

Melted butter incorporates more easily into the dough, creating a more cohesive and pliable dough. Use a mixture of baking powder and baking soda as leavening agents. Baking powder provides lift and helps create a fluffy texture, while baking soda helps to densify the cookie and create a chewier texture.

Using too much butter in your dough can lead to flat and greasy cookies. As previously noted, baking is a science, and it is essential to closely follow recipe measurements to ensure the best results.

Cookie baking temperature and time

Higher temperatures promote faster spread, while lower temperatures result in slower spread. Additionally, longer baking times can encourage more spread. Experiment with different temperatures and baking times to find the perfect balance for achieving your desired cookie.

Cookies made with melted butter often deflate and become denser when they cool, resulting in a perfectly cooked fudgy center — a similar textural result to brownies that get rapped (aka banged against an oven rack mid-bake to deflate them) or Sarah Kieffer's iconic pan-banging cookies that turn out pleasantly compact.

Italian wedding cookies typically contain almonds or hazelnuts and are flavored with almond extract, vanilla extracts and spices like cinnamon or anise. Mexican wedding cookies, on the other hand, use a combination of ground nuts such as pecans and walnuts, as well as butter, sugar and sometimes chocolate chips.

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months.

Example Wedding Scenario

Applying the rule of thumb would suggest needing 200-300 cookies, but considering factors like an all-night reception and a variety of age groups may push the cookie need up to nearly 400.

Why did my cookies come out completely flat? ›

Why did my chocolate chip cookies turn out flat and spread out so much? Cookies generally spread out more if there's no leavening agent. Some cookie recipes don't call for baking powder or baking soda. If that's the case, 'flat and spread out' is what the originator intended.

Flour adds fluff and texture to the cookies. Adding too little flour can cause cookies to be flat, greasy, and crispy. Most recipes assume you'll use all-purpose, but if you want a lighter, crumblier cookie texture, choose one with a lower protein content such as cake-and-pastry flour.

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.