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

1. 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.
2. Turn dough onto plastic wrap. Divide into two portions. Flatten into disks; wrap and chill overnight.
3. 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.

4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Cover baking sheets with parchment.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Bake 15 minutes until puffed and golden brown on edges. Cool on parchment. If desired, dust with confectioners sugar.