The No-Fuss (But So Impressive!) Christmas Cookie Your Dehydrator Can Make For You
If there’s one time of year we all wish we had an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, it’s Christmas. Between end-of-year parties, school events, last-minute shopping and tying bows on everything that sits still long enough, the idea of spending hours baking can feel… ambitious.
That’s where your dehydrator quietly becomes the Christmas hero.
Instead of juggling trays in and out of the oven, you can mix a simple dough, let your dehydrator do the slow, gentle work and still serve up something that looks (and tastes) like you’ve been baking all day.
Today we’re sharing a festive favourite: Russian Tea Cakes, created by Chef Crystal Bonnet of Crystal Dawn Culinary in collaboration with BenchFoods. commercialdehydrators.com.au+1
They’re nostalgic, pretty, and almost too easy to gift.
Why Russian Tea Cakes Belong In Your Christmas Line-Up
If you’ve never had a Russian Tea Cake, imagine a cross between a tender sugar cookie and a shortbread-style tea biscuit. Now add:
- A delicate crunch on the outside
- A soft, melt-in-your-mouth centre
- Buttery coconut, almond and pecans for flavour and texture
- A final roll in powdered “snow” (powdered Lakanto or xylitol) Or just Powdered Sugar if thats what you LOVE!
These particular Russian Tea Cakes are dehydrated, not baked – so you get that satisfying crunch outside with a soft interior, thanks to low-and-slow drying at 46°C / 115°F for about 12 hours. commercialdehydrators.com.au
They’re the kind of cookie that makes people close their eyes on the first bite and say, “Okay… who made these?”
Why Make Christmas Cookies in a Dehydrator?
Whether you’re using a domestic dehydrator at home or a commercial unit in a café or food business, dehydrating opens up a whole new world of Christmas “baking” without the oven.
With a dehydrator you can:
- Run multiple trays at once, perfect for bulk gifting
- Maintain consistent low temperatures, batch after batch
- Free up oven space for roasts and sides on the big day
- Work ahead – Russian Tea Cakes keep beautifully in the fridge and freezer
On the original recipe, a 1 Zone / 10 Tray Commercial Dehydrator is recommended, giving you plenty of tray area to scale this up for family, friends or customers.
Russian Tea Cakes
Recipe by Chef Crystal Bonnet – Crystal Dawn Culinary – created in collaboration with BenchFoods.
Prep time: ~15 minutes
Dehydration time: ~12 hours
Temperature: 46°C / 115°F
Ingredients
Dry & Nutty Goodness
- 1 cup dried unsweetened medium shredded coconut
- ≈ 80–85 g
- 1 cup almond flour
- ≈ 95–100 g
- 1 cup water
- 240 ml
- 1/4 cup powdered Lakanto or xylitol (powdered in a blender)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped raw pecans
- ≈ 30 g
Sweetness & Bind
- 2 tbsp maple syrup – 30 m
- 1/2 tbsp roasted tahini – ≈ 7–8 g
- 1/2 tbsp psyllium powder (psyllium husk powdered in a blender) – ≈ 4 g
Flavour & Finish
- 1 tsp cold-pressed sesame oil – 5 ml
- ~15 drops vanilla flavour extract (e.g. Medicine Flower vanilla)
- Small pinch Himalayan salt – ≈ 0.5 g
- A little extra water if needed
- Extra powdered Lakanto or xylitol for rolling at the end
Method
1. Mix the dough
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and work the mixture together with your hands. If it looks a little dry or crumbly, add a tiny splash of extra water until it holds together when pressed.
2. Shape the cookies
Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, portion the dough and roll into balls. Place each cookie onto a mesh-lined dehydrator tray, leaving a little space between them.
3. Dehydrate low and slow
Slide the trays into your dehydrator and dry at 46°C / 115°F for about 12 hours. You’re aiming for cookies that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
4. Dust with “snow”
Allow the cookies to cool completely (this helps them firm up). Then pour some powdered Lakanto or xylitol into a small bowl and gently roll each cookie until coated in a generous layer of white “snow”
5. Store or gift
Enjoy straight away, or:
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days, or
- In the freezer for up to 1 month
