Cocoa Wedding Cakes … or cookies?

I stumbled into the recipe in a magazine and was quite intrigued more by the name than the recipe itself. Why are these called cakes when they’re obviously cookies? They almost look like crinkles because of the powdered sugar but when I looked at the ingredients- not quite. I just had to try making some to find out how they taste.

There was a feeling of excitement as I popped one into my mouth- which turned to a surprise…. a pleasant surprise. It tastes so damn good! For me to take a second cookie or a second bite into a dessert- it has to be just sweet enough. This cutie, I just had one after another after another. It is mildly sweet, chocolaty and then the pecans just hit the spot because I love nuts in cookies and in brownies.

Now, to the mystery in the name of this yummy thingy- this is what I found. They are actually, Russian tea cakes and they are often times served in wedding parties. Does that make sense? Well, whatever it is, bottom line is- I discovered another favorite munchies. They could very well be power cakes or power cookies that could lift your mood when you’re having a bad day; or to satisfy a chocolate craving at any given day and they’re not sinfully sweet, trust me!

The recipe is Cocoa Wedding Cookies

Recipe adapted here:

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut up (no substitutions)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate mini-chips

Procedure:

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.In a food processor with knife blade attached, pulse pecans with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until pecans are finely ground. Add butter and vanilla and process until smooth, occasionally stopping processor to scrape side with rubber spatula. Add flour and cocoa and pulse until evenly mixed. Add chocolate chips; pulse just until combined.

3.With floured hands, shape dough by rounded measuring teaspoons into 1-inch balls. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.

4.Bake cookies 16 to 18 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool slightly.

5.Sift remaining confectioners' sugar onto waxed paper. While cookies are still warm, roll in sugar to coat; return to wire rack to cool completely. When cool, gently roll cookies in sugar again. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 2 weeks, or in freezer up to 3 months.