Description
A delicious treat featuring a buttery dough filled with sweet apricot filling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups (285g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/21/2 teaspoon (2g) kosher salt
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lb (454g) dried apricots, sulfured for color
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, for filling
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Scoop & Form Cookies: Start by scooping the dough into small balls. Using your hands, gently roll them to get a nice round shape. You want them to feel smooth and uniform, ensuring even baking.
- Press for Filling: Gently press the center of each ball with your thumb to create a little well. This indentation must be deep enough to hold your apricot filling. Be generous with your pressing to avoid overflow during baking.
- Fill & Seal Cookies: Spoon in some apricot filling into each indent, ensuring not to overfill. You want just enough to keep it snug without spilling over, as overfilling can lead to a mess in the oven.
- Chill the Dough: Let the filled cookies chill for 30 minutes. This step helps solidify the dough, making it easier to handle. The dough should feel firmer, as skipping this could cause the cookies to spread too much during baking.
- Bake & Cool Cookies: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and pop the cookies in until golden around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes. Aroma will fill the air, indicating they are baking correctly. Avoid opening the oven door too early, as it can lead to uneven baking.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once cooled, lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar for sweetness and visual appeal. Use just enough to decorate without overwhelming the flavor.
Notes
- Storage Tips: Store baked cookies at room temperature, layered between sheets of wax paper and wrapped loosely in foil, for up to 1 week. Can also freeze for up to three months, either baked or assembled.
- Expert Tips: To avoid cookies bursting open during baking, seal the corners tightly and chill cookies adequately before baking. If the dough feels sticky when rolling out, chill it longer to make handling easier. Ensure the filling is thick for it to stay in place and consider rolling the dough as thin as possible for a crisp texture.
- Reheating Instructions: If reheating, place cookies in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 5-7 minutes until warmed through.
- Serving Suggestions: Dust cookies with additional powdered sugar before serving. Pair with coffee or tea for a delightful treat, and serve at holiday parties or family gatherings.
- Recipe Variations: Consider using cherry or poppyseed fillings for diversity. Create larger cookies by adjusting baking time, and incorporate nuts into the apricot filling for added texture.
- Ingredient Notes: When selecting dried apricots, choose ones that are sulfured for color, which enhances appearance. If looking for a cream cheese alternative, reduced-fat cream cheese can be used, but this may affect texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 54mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg