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30-Minute Lighter Russian Tea Cake Cookies with Powdered Sugar

30-minute lighter Russian tea cake cookies - featured image
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A lighter version of classic Russian tea cake cookies that are tender, nutty, and coated in powdered sugar. Made with Greek yogurt and coconut oil to reduce butter, these cookies come together in about 30 minutes and taste every bit as indulgent as the original.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons (45g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar (for dough), plus 1/2 cup (60g) for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1g) fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toast the nuts (optional): Spread chopped nuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Let cool completely.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat softened butter, Greek yogurt, and melted coconut oil together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed.
  4. Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on low until incorporated, then increase to medium and beat for another minute until light and fluffy.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
  6. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low after each until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Gently fold in toasted nuts with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
  8. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. You should get 18-20 cookies.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are just barely golden. Tops should still be pale.
  10. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for exactly 5 minutes. Place remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar until completely coated.
  11. Transfer rolled cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely, about 20-30 minutes.
  12. Once completely cool, roll cookies in powdered sugar one more time for a snowy finish.

Notes

For best results, use properly softened butter. The double coating of powdered sugar is essential for the classic snowy look. If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 15 minutes. For consistent results, use a kitchen scale to measure flour. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Russian tea cake cookies, lighter cookies, powdered sugar cookies, healthy cookies, 30-minute cookies, Greek yogurt cookies, nut cookies

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/30-minute-lighter-russian-tea-cake-cookies-with-powdered-sugar/