RAISIN-CRANBERRY FILLED COOKIES

RAISIN-CRANBERRY FILLED COOKIES image

Yield Makes approx 48 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

Dough Recipe:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup butter
3 large eggs
2 tbls. water
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Filling Recipe:
2 cups raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 3/4 cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tbls. flour
4 tsp. grated orange peel

Steps:

Dough: At medium speed, cream white and brown sugar w/ butter about 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl. In a separate bowl whisk until well blended, eggs, water, and vanilla. Add egg mixture to sugar mixture,mix at medium speed until blended. In separate bowl combine flour & baking powder. With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture in thirds until just blended, scraping sides & bottom of bowl as needed. Place dough on plastic wrap and mold into loaf shape. Place in freezer and for 45- 60 minutes. When filling has cooled cut off a piece of dough, not more than 1/4 of the loaf. Place on floured surface. Put the rest of the dough in refrigerator.(not freezer) Flour dough on both sides, pat lightly into a thick circle. Roll with floured rolling pin to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles. Put a teaspoon of filling in center of circle. Fold cookie gently over filling, sealing edge with your finger...back and forth until cookie is sealed. I found that putting the cookie in my left hand and crimping edge with my right hand worked well. Be careful not to heat the dough up too much, it needs to be cold. Place cookies on cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat procedure with the rest of the dough, 1/4 at a time. Bake in 350 degree for 7 minutes. Turn cookie sheets & rotate sheets on oven racks, top to bottom. Bake another 7 minutes. Keep checking cookies and bake until lightly browned on bottom and sand colored on top. Cool on racks. Keep dough chilled while baking filled cookies. Filling: Combine raisins, cranberries and water in bowl of food processor. Whiz, intermittently, until fruits are medium to finely chopped.(not too much...you don't want mush!) Put in medium size, heavy saucepan. Add sugar, flour & orange peel. Bring to boil, lower heat & simmer until nicely thickened. (this will also thicken some as it cools)Cool mixture.