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russian tea cake recipe
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 4 dozen cookies 1x
- Diet: General
Description
This recipe for Russian Tea Cake cookies delivers melt-in-your-mouth perfection with a delicate, snowy finish, infused with the delightful aroma of cardamom and orange, making them a family-friendly treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar, for dough
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) finely grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
- 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) ground green cardamom, for dough
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 120 g (1 cup) finely ground unsalted pistachios
- 2 g (0.5 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 240 g (2 cups) powdered sugar, for rolling
- 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) ground green cardamom, for spiced rolling sugar
- 15 g (2 tablespoons) finely chopped unsalted pistachios, for garnish
- 1 g (1 teaspoon) culinary dried rose petals, lightly crushed, for garnish
Instructions
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Aromatics: Incorporate the finely grated orange zest, 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) ground cardamom, and alcohol-free vanilla extract into the creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined (~1 minute).
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, finely ground unsalted pistachios, and fine sea salt until fully blended.
- Combine & Form Dough: Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain (1-2 minutes). Do not overmix.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat & Shape: Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out teaspoon-sized portions of the chilled dough and roll them into uniform 2.5 cm (1-inch) balls (10-15 minutes). Place them about 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set but still pale. Avoid significant browning.
- First Sugar Roll: While the cookies are still warm (but cool enough to handle), gently roll them in 120 g (1 cup) of the plain powdered sugar.
- Second Spiced Sugar Roll: Transfer the sugar-coated cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely. In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar with 2.5 g (0.5 teaspoon) ground cardamom for a spiced rolling sugar. Once the cookies are completely cool, roll them a second time in this spiced powdered sugar, ensuring a thick, even coating.
- Garnish & Serve: Arrange cookies on a serving plate. Evenly sprinkle the finely chopped unsalted pistachios over and around the cookies, then sparingly scatter the lightly crushed culinary dried rose petals for garnish.
Notes
If the dough seems too crumbly, add a tiny splash of vanilla or orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For a nut-free version, omit pistachios and increase flour by 1-2 tablespoons. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Russian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (18 g)
- Calories: 95 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg