These traditional Jewish cookies wrap a tender, flaky dough around a filling of apricot jam and chopped nuts and raisins. This recipe calls for dusting them with cinnamon sugar, but a simple icing glaze would be nice, too. From The Associated Press, makes 2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
2 sticks butter (1 cup), softened
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup pistachio meats, pecans or other nuts
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the flour and powdered sugar, and mix until it produces a smooth, sticky dough.
Divide dough in three. Form each piece into a circle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add raisins and pulse again until chopped. Set aside.
Remove one round of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and place on a lightly floured counter. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread a third of the jam in a thin layer over the dough.
Sprinkle a third of the nut-raisin mixture over the jam. Use a large knife or pizza wheel to cut the dough into 8 wedges.
Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge. With the tip on the bottom, gently turn the sides of the roll inward, creating a crescent shape. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the rugelach, then bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Use a spatula to transfer the rugelach to a rack to cool.
Repeat process with remaining dough as baking space is available.
