Dough

8 oz sweet butter

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 t vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2 T sugar

pinch salt

Filling

1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 T cinnamon

approx. 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

approx. 1/4 cup each– dried currents and mini choc chips

approx.  1/2 cup preserves

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.   Beat in 2 T sugar, salt, and vanilla until well blended.  Add 1 cup flour until blended. Mix in remaining flour  but don’t overbeat.

Scrape dough onto well floured board.  Flour hands and lightly knead dough for about 10 seconds.  Divide into 4 balls and refrigerate at least one hour or even overnight in wax paper or separate baggies.    Take out as you need them.  Roll out onto floured surface (dough will be stiff at first) to make a large circle (doesn’t have to be perfectly round) and roll thin (like 1/8 inch– you’ll figure it out after you have worked with dough a few times).

Leaving about an inch border with no fillings– spread preserves,  nuts, then cinnamon sugar, either currents or choc chips  (I use different fillings for each ball rolled out).

Using a perforated knife or a pizza cutter, divide each rolled ball into 16 crescents.  Starting from the outer side of each wedge, roll in towards middle.  Be sure to put the “seam” of the rugelach on the bottom sitting on the cookie sheet to avoid unrolling.

350 for approx  30 minutes until lightly browned.

Sprinkle with sifted confectioner’s sugar (optional)  when serving

yield:  64        If you like larger cookies, make only three balls or make 12 crescents out of each instead of 16.

This reads like it is very complicated when actually it is easy once you have mastered technique.