Rugelach

This is not an easy cookie to make.  But once you are more experienced, you’ll love how easy it is to make it!!  This cookies has become an all time favorites in my family!!!

A Ingredients

Cream cheese, room temp              8 oz

Butter, room temp                         ½ cup( ½ lb)

Sugar                                             ¼ cup

Kosher salt                                     ¼ teaspoon

Vanilla extract                                 1 teaspoon

All purpose flour                             2 cups

B Ingredients

Sugar                                 1 tablespoon

Brown sugar                      1 tablespoon

Ground cinnamon             ½ teaspoon

Raisins, chopped               ¾ cup

Walnuts, chopped             ¾ cup

Apricot jam                       ½ cup

C Ingredients

Egg                        1 head

Milk                       1 tablespoon           

D Ingredients

Raw sugar                    3 tablespoon

Ground cinnamon        1 teaspoon

Directions:

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until blended, beat in the sugar in batches, then salt and vanilla extract.  Beat the mixture until fluffy.  Then fold in the flour in 3-4 batches.  Do not over mix or the cookies won’t be crispy. 

2. Scoop out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a ball and divide the ball into 4 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a round ball and wrap with plastic wrap.  Chill them in the refrigerator for one hour. 

3. During the hour, measure all B ingredients into a bowl.  Beat C ingredients in another bowl.  Also measure D ingredients into a small bowl for later. 

4. After 1 hour, take out one dough from the refrigerator at a time.  Pat the dough down on a floured surface and roll into a 9 inch round.  Try to touch the dough as little as possible to keep the temperature down or else the dough will be very sticky.  Spread apricot jam onto the rolled out dough, sprinkle with B mixture.  Try to scoop up as much loose sugar from the B mixture and sprinkle onto the dough.  Cut the dough into 12 equal portions like a pie, then roll the cookies up from the rim to the center and form a crescent shape.  Place the cookie onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Repeat steps for the rest.  After all the cookies are made, chill the baking sheet with the cookies for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.  This is a good time to preheat your oven  to 350°F/180°C

5. Brush the each cookie with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the cinnamon raw sugar on top.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes; turn the baking sheet around, bake an additional 3 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a wired rack to cool completely. 

Serving: 4 dozen