RUGELACH FILLINGS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cream cream cheese and softened butter.
• Add sugar and salt and beat again.
• Add the flour, and mix just to combine.
• To make the filling, heat the milk in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl.
• divide the dough in half. Sprinkle your work surface liberally with SUGAR, not flour! Roll the dough out into a long rectangle.
• Spread half of the walnut rugelach filling over the rolled rectangle of dough.
• Cut the dough in half (long way), and roll the dough into two logs. Cut the rugelach dough logs into segments about one inch wide.
• Place the walnut rugelach on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake the walnut rugelach for 12-14 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies will be golden, but the tops should remain pale.

Steps:

• Place flour, granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter; pulse until butter is pea-size. Add cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla; pulse until combined and dough begins to form and pull away from sides. Gather and press dough together; divide into thirds and shape each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon salt and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside. Whisk egg, egg yolk, cream, and pinch of salt in another small bowl. Set aside. Roll out one dough disc to a 10-inch circle on lightly floured surface. Lightly brush circle with water. Sprinkle one third of the pecan mixture evenly over the surface. Gently press filling into dough with your hand. Cut the circle into 8 equal wedges with a pizza cutter or large sharp knife. Roll up wedges from the wide end to the tip, tucking the tip under. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, tip-side down. Repeat with remaining dough discs and filling. Brush the tops of the cookies with egg mixture. Bake in a 350°F oven about 25 minutes or until golden. Cool on baking sheets on wire rack 1 to 2 minutes to firm slightly. Remove to racks; cool completely.   Cook’s Tips If dough starts to warm up during rolling or shaping, place in the refrigerator to chill. You can use the edge of a paper plate or a regular 10-inch plate as a guide to cut an even dough circle. For an extra flavor twist, lightly brush the dough in step 3 with your favorite preserve or apple butter instead of water, before adding the pecan mixture. Always cool the baking sheets before baking more cookies. A hot baking sheet will melt the dough and cookie edges may burn or cookies can lose their shape.