
These little pillows are easy to make with home-made apricot filling and a cream-cheese pastry crust. They are incredibly good hot from the oven, but also nice dusted with a little powdered sugar, cooled. These take me back to my childhood, growing up in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. For a pineapple version, try our Pineapple Flakies.
Makes three dozen cookies
Cream Cheese Pastry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (2 sticks) slightly softened unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 recipe (below) apricot-raisin filling
- egg wash (1 egg whisked with 2 tbsp milk)
- Sanding sugar (to garnish)
- Confectioners sugar (to garnish)
Apricot-Raisin Filling Ingredients
- 6 ounces dried apricots
- 6 Tbsp strawberry preserves
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Make pastry: In stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes.) Reduce speed to low and add flour until no streaks show.
- Turn dough onto plastic wrap. Divide into two portions. Flatten into disks; wrap and chill overnight.
- Make filling: Heat apricots and raisins in water over low heat until fruit has “plumped” and absorbed most of the water. Blend in a food processor to a paste; add preserves and pulse again until smooth.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover baking sheets with parchment.
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Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour. Roll out dough thinly (1/8 inch) adding small amount of flour to keep from sticking as needed. Cut into 2 1/2-inch squares.
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Place dollop of filling in the center of each square; fold corners of the square into the middle; press to seal. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place the cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
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Bake 15 minutes until puffed and golden brown on edges. Cool on parchment. If desired, dust with confectioners sugar.