Pecan Apricot Rugelach Recipes

RUGELACH

Steps:

• Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.
• On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges?cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

PECAN-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• To make Cinnamon-Sugar Dough: In food processor, combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add vinegar and 1 tablespoon ice-cold water, pulsing until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time). Do not overmix.
• Shape dough into 1-inch-thick disk, then roll between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ⅛ inch thick. Combine cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; sprinkle over rolled dough and gently roll in. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
• To make Pecan-Apricot Rugelach: Heat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread Cinnamon-Sugar Dough with cream cheese. Combine pecans, sugar and apricot preserves; spread over cream cheese.
• Cut dough into two pieces and roll each half into long log. Brush each log with egg and cut into ¾-inch-thick pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

PISTACHIO-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; square off the edges. Refrigerate the dough rectangles until firm, at least 20 minutes.
• Make the filling: Spread 3 tablespoons apricot preserves on each dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Toss the pistachios, dried apricots, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the preserves and press in gently.
• Starting with the jam-covered long side, roll up each dough rectangle into a tight log. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the logs with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut the logs into 1-inch-thick rounds. Arrange seam-side down on the prepared pan, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.

RASPBERRY AND APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat margarine or butter with cream cheese until blended and smooth. Beat in vanilla extract, salt, 1 cup flour, and 1/4 cup sugar until blended.
• With spoon, stir in remaining flour. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• To Prepare Filling: In medium bowl, with spoon, stir walnuts, apricots, brown sugar, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until well mixed.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and grease foil.
• On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of chilled dough into a 9-inch round, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. Spread dough with 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves. Sprinkle with about 1/2 cup apricot filling; gently press filling onto dough. With pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut dough into 12 equal wedges. Starting at curved edge, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion. Place cookies on foil-lined cookie sheet, point-side down, about 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough, one-fourth at a time.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In cup, mix remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. With pastry brush, brush rugelach with milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
• Bake rugelach at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) on 2 oven racks about 30 to 35 minutes until golden, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking time. Immediately remove rugelach to wire racks to cool. Store in tightly covered container.

APRICOT RAISIN RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Shape into four 5-in. logs; cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 log into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Spread with about 1/4 cup spreadable fruit; sprinkle with 5 tablespoons walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the top. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Repeat with remaining logs. Chill., Place rolls, seam side down, 4 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with cream; sprinkle with remaining sugar. With a serrated knife, make 1/2-in.-deep cuts 1 in. apart on roll-ups. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board; cut each roll into 12 slices. Cool on wire racks.

APRICOT-PECAN RUGELACH

Steps:

• 1. To make the dough, in a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed until blended. With the mixer running, add the cream cheese and butter and mix until large clumps of dough form. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until just blended.
• 2. Divide the soft, sticky dough into 4 equal portions. Gather each portion into a ball and flatten into a disk 4 inches in diameter. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 1/2 hours or for up to overnight.
• 3. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 4. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch round. To add the filling, using a narrow offset spatula, spread 2 tablespoons of the preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a 3/4 inch boarder. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoon of the raisins and 1/4 cup of the pecans, and press them gently into the dough.
• 5. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge tightly to the pointed end. Place point side down and 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bend the edges slightly to curve inward, forming a crescent. When all the crescents are formed, brush the top of each with cream. Sprinkle the tops lightly with the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the 3 remaining dough portions and filling and topping ingredients, filling both baking sheets.
• 6. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until the bottoms are light brown and the edges are golden, 22-25 minutes. let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.

YUMMY APRICOT PECAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the milk, eggs and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cheese, apricots and pecans. Spoon into 2 greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Freeze option: Securely wrap and freeze individual cooled loaves. To use, thaw at room temperature.

PISTACHIO AND DRIED-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter with cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour and beat on low until just combined. Divide dough into 3 disks; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Filling: In a small saucepan, bring apricots, 1 1/3 cups water, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until apricots are tender and most of liquid has been absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Let cool completely. (You should have about 2 cups filling; if not, thin slightly with water, a teaspoon at a time.)
• Meanwhile, finely grind pistachios in food processor. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 10-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Spread evenly with 2/3 cup apricot mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ground pistachios. With a pizza wheel, cut circle into quarters, then cut each quarter in half, then in half again, so you have 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Arrange 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar and 1 tablespoon ground pistachios. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer rugelach on sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. Rugelach can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.