#rugelach

#rugelach

Making rugelach isn't about following a rigid recipe; it's about seeing the cookie as an artist's palette for any number of flavors. While most Old World recipes combine sugar, nuts, dried fruit, and jam, usually scented with cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg, there is no need to follow this religiously. The filling ingredients are flexible: Scent the dough to complement the nuts and fruit, and either sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar before baking or finish them with a vanilla glaze once they've cooled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the butter and cream cheese into several pieces about 1" square. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture. When the butter and cream cheese are well distributed, mix in the sour cream and water. Gather the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes.