Chocolate Chip, Cherry, and Walnut Rugelach

The classic holiday cookie with chocolate chips, cherry preserves and toasted walnuts.

Chocolate Chip, Cherry, and Walnut Rugelach

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 ounces chilled cream cheese, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons cherry preserves
8 tablespoons coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate chips
8 tablespoons finely chopped toasted walnuts

1/3 cup(about)heavy cream

Directions:
Blend first 3 ingredients in a food processor. Add butter and cream cheese and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
for filling:
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 9-inch round. Spread 3 tablespoons cherry preserves over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons walnuts. Press filling firmly to adhere to dough.

Cut dough round into 8 equal wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly. Arrange cookies, tip side down, on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart and bending slightly to form crescents. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough disks, preserves, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar and walnuts. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush cookies lightly with whipping cream. Bake frozen cookies until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Yield: 32