Russian tea cakes

These are THE BEST Russian Tea cookies I have ever tried, baked and eaten!! For people getting a crumbly dough, just add about 1 tablespoon milk and your problem is solved! I do this and ALWAYS get a perfectly moist dough to work with. Just make sure you keep mixing the dough until no trace of white flour is left and dough comes together and is a little tacky. Using an electric mixer with a dough paddle is ideal. I do roll the balls in regular sugar before baking and roll it in powdered sugar TWICE for a nice, white, sweet coating. No worries, it will be perfectly sweet. This cookie can also stay fresh for a very long time in an airtight container. I made two batches that lasted me well over a week and it tasted as good as the first day. I've also used almond extract in place of vanilla and it tasted just as wonderful. Last tip - the finer you chop/grind the walnuts, the less your cookie will crumble when being eaten! I've used this recipe dozens of times and it's perfect EVERYTIME! Try this, you WON'T regret it.  -  02 Nov 2006  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

These are just fantastic. But wow for once I do not agree with the most helpful rated review. I did not care for the cookie rolled in sugar at all. I used both pecans and walnuts and liked the walnut better - the slight bitter taste of the nut was a perfect complement to the powdered sugar of the cookie. I ground the walnuts in my coffee grinder. I used a bit less flour (3 TBS less) than recommended for my second batch and that turned out better. Note that batter will be crumbly but when you roll it into a ball in your hand it will come together - just squeeze a bit! Also, when I rolled warm cookies in the powdered sugar they didn't even need a second roll! (warm and being able to hold in your hand without feeling YOW!, not hot or the powdered sugar will melt). Although I prefer walnut the most, this cookie is great with any kind of nut or flavoring - even pistachio. Roll in cinnamon and powdered sugar for something different.  -  08 Dec 2006  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)

I'm a first generation Russian/Ukrainian - American and my husband is a "right off the boat" Russian. I have used this recipe (slightly modified using pecans instead of almonds, and a little less flour, at 310 degrees) for several years now at our church's annual Old Country Christmas bake sale. We are a Russian Orthodox, and to us Old Country means THE old country, not country-western, and people visit our sale to find those "real homemade ethnic" baked goods. This has always sold out on the first day, even when I make 100 dozen. It doesn't get much better than this!  -  24 Feb 2006  (Review from Allrecipes US | Canada)