Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, etc. etc.

I don't know how many names these lusious cookies have.  I do know, however, that my Grandmother gave my mother the recipe for them and they have been a family favorite for many years; especially at Christmas.  They are super simple to make. Here is my recipe:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoonsalt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I sometimes add this for a twist)

 

Reserve another 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Beat butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and bake for 10-12 minutes in a preheated 400 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. You want the cookies to be set, but not browned.
4. Once baked, roll while still hot in confectioners' sugar until coated. Let cool. Lightly dust with more confectioners' sugar.

 

Today's post is not really about Russian Tea cakes.  It is about Lemon Russian Tea Cakes.  Can you imagine????  I never heard of them, so out came the thinking cap, and here's what I came up with: 
 

 

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon butter

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (ooooooh, intense!)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 drops yellow food coloring

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Reserve another 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Beat butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass.  They should resemble the size and thickness of an Orea cookie.  Bake for 10-12 minutes in a preheated 400 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. You want the cookies to be set, but not browned.
4. Once baked, roll while still hot in confectioners' sugar until coated. Let cool. Lightly dust with more confectioners' sugar.

Either recipe makes approimately 30 cookies.  You can put them very close together on the cookie sheet because they don't rise or spread out.  Soooooo yummy!