Rugalah

manushag's Note:

This is one of the regular additions to my Christmas cookie platters. I make them with strawberry and apricot jam and I also make some with melted chocolate. Make a ganache by melting one cup of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of milk or half and half. Stir until combined. Spread ganache on dough instead of jam and then sprinkle nut mixture. You can also drizzle all cookies with chocolate as a garnish.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 50

Yield: 100.0 cookies

Dough

• 8 ounces butter
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 cups flour

Filling

• 4 ounces strawberry jam
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray cookie sheets with Pam.
2. Mix all dough ingredients until combined, using room temperature butter and cream cheese. Dough will be sticky.
3. Divide into 8 or 10 balls and wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm. You can do this step a day ahead of baking.
4. In the food processor, chop nuts and raisings with sugar and cinnamon until fine.
5. Melt jams in microwave for about 30 seconds and allow to cool.
6. Remove dough, one ball at a time, from refrigerator and roll into a 9 or 10 inch circle on a floured board. I move each circle to a piece of wax paper for the next steps, since the jam will make your board sticky.
7. Spread a tablespoon of jam on circle and sprinkle with nut mixture.
8. Cut each circle into 10 or 12 wedges, depending on the size of cookie you want and roll each wedge starting from the wide end and place on cookie sheet pointy side down.
9. You can sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
10. Bake for about 20 or 25 minutes. Cookies will be white on top and brown on the bottom.
11. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks immediately or they will be impossible to remove if you allow them to cool. If they cool too much, place tray back into oven for a couple of minutes to soften jam again.
12. Cool completely and store in airtight containers. When ready to serve, sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired.