Irresistible Rugelach

In making these rugelach cookies, the most time consuming step is waiting for the dough to firm up in the refrigerator. The result, however, is sweet and delicious enough to justify the wait. Your favorite cookie filling will work just as well.

Ingredients

Cream cheese, room T.	4 oz.
(cut into small pieces)
Unsalted butter, softened	½ cup or 1 stick
(cut into small pieces)
All purpose flour	1 cup + 2 Tbsp
Granulated sugar	2 Tbsp
Salt	¼ tsp

For the Filling

Dried apricots, halved	¾ cup
Water	½ cup
Granulated sugar	1 Tbsp
Ground cinnamon	¼ tsp
Finely chopped, unsalted pistachios	2 Tbsp

Directions

• Combine cream cheese, butter, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until dough just starts to clump together. Turn dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and form it into a ball.

• Divide dough into 4 portion. Flatten each portion into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  
  
  
• Cook dried apricots in ½ cup water with cover, over low heat. Stir occasionally until the fruit absorbs all the water. After cooling it slightly, transfer to a food processor and process it to a smooth puree. Then stir in sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pistachios.
  
  
  
• 
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

• On a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper, roll a disk of dough into a 7-inch circle, approximately. Spread ¼ of the filling evenly over the top.

  Cut dough into 6 or 8 wedges with a large and sharp knife. Gently roll up the outside edge of each wedge toward the point.
  
  Hint: If dough is too soft to roll, refrigerate it for about 5 minutes to firm up.

• Arrange rugelach on prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  
  
  
• 
  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let them cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. Before serving, dust rugelach with confectioners’ sugar if desired.