LEKVAR COOKIES - Ilona Borodics Medina

• Sugar,
•  4 sticks butter, 
• 4 cups flour, 
• small amount of flour to coat work surface, 
• med. jar of Lekvar and 
• apricots, 
• 2 bars cream cheese, 
• 1 egg, 
• powdered sugar

Blend softened butter and cream cheese together (a food processor can be used), 

add 2 cups flour, mix, gradually add the rest of the four. 

In the meantime spread sugar, small amount of flour on table/work surface .
Beat egg in a small bowl- set aside .Roll dough in a large ball, put remainder in refrigerator. Roll out dough with rolling pin, till thin,( not too thin – you have to be able to roll and put filling into it, without it falling apart). If dough is too sticky add more flour to dough and working surface.
Cut into small squares and fill. 

Place on cookie sheet. Brush cookies with egg. When completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown at 375.

Hamantaschen Triangular Purim cookies - Larry Diamond

It's getting to that time of year!

Hamantaschen

A recipe for triangular Purim cookies
Makes about 36

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2-3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Dash of salt

1. Cream the shortening with sugar. Add egg and continue creaming until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla. Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt until a ball of dough is formed (a food processor is excellent for this).
3. Chill for 2-3 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
5. Taking 1/4 of the dough, roll out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut circles of dough with a drinking glass or round cookie-cutter. With your finger put water around the rim of the circle. Fill with 1 teaspoon poppy-seed or nut filling and fold into three-cornered cookies. (Press two sides together, and then fold the third side over and press the ends together.)
6. Bake on a well-greased cookie sheet 10-16 minutes, until the tops are golden.

Filling
For an easy filling fix, plenty of people use premade jams or jelly.

Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies - Kim Spera Bamburak

Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups of flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 
• 1 cup creamy or super chunk peanut butter 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 6 1/2 ounces of flaked coconut 
• red or green candied cherries, halved 

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilaa. Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.
If necessary, refrigerate dough for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Spread coconut on waxed paper; roll balls in coconut.
Place red or green cherry half in center of each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks.
Store in tightly covered container.

Thumbprint Treasures - Kim Spera Bamburak

Thumbprint Treasures

• 1/2 cup (1 Stick) butter or margarine 
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 egg 
• 1 1/2 cups flour 
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten 
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 3/4 to 1 cup strawberry, black raspberry, cherry, apricot or peach preserves 

Grease cookie sheets in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg. Stir in flour and blend thoroughly. Wrap dough and refrigerate about 1 hour, to chill slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With floured hands, roll pieces of dough into 1 inche balls.
Dip balls into egg white, then roll in chopped nuts.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
With your thumb make an indentation in center of each cookie.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool on wire racks.. (If centers have risen during baking, press down again while cookies are hot.)
When cool, fill each center with about 1 level tablespoon preserves.

Welsh Cookies - Bill Parker Sr.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and the 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until well blended Cut in butter or margarine and shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Toss in currants.
2. Beat egg and milk with a fork in a 1-cup measure; add to flour mixture; mix gently with fork, just until blended. Dough should be consistency of pastry dough.
3. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness with floured rolling pin on lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Cut with 3 inch floured cookie cutter
4. Heat greased griddle or large heavy skillet over moderate heat until few drops of water jump when dropped on surface. Cook cakes, a few at a time, 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn with pancake turner and cook another 3 minutes, or until golden brown on second side. Remove to wire rack. Sprinkle with sugar. Let cool completely, then wrap in plastic bags to store. Can also be frozen.

HUNGARIAN COOKIES - Carol Matto Kaye

Here's one: the best little hungarian cookies......

• 1 lb. of butter,
• 1 lb. of creamcheese and
• 1 lb. of flour....

Just knead all ingredients together until it no longer sticks to your hand; refrigerator over night. 

Roll out the dough on a floured board ( i also put sugar in the flour) small bits at a time to about 1/8" to 1/4" thick; cut into 2-3" squares and fill with walnuts or lekvar (prune) or apricot filling.

Just fold over 2 corners & pinch together.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until golden brown. 

For the walnuts: grind as much as you want, add sugar to taste and a little milk to hold the nuts together.

These are great but very time consuming. I make about 300 for Christmas. Enjoy!!

CAROL MATTO KAYE

Bloger's Note:

Carol made Hungarian Cookies, if you are Interested in the Polish version recipe, search under Little Cakes or Kolaczki 

Polish Little Cakes - Kolaczki - Kathy Syontko Szemcsak

My Mom, Sophie, always made these Little Cakes around Christmas and Easter in our home on Johnstone Street.

• Makes about 7-9 dozen Fruit Filled Cookies
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes

All times are Approximates - Kathy wanted the times in to show that it does not take long to make them.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16-ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1 lb.  (4 sticks) butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fillings of choice (poppy seed, apricot, prune, raspberry, etc.)
• Confectioners' sugar

 Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough 1/4-inch on a surface that has been dusted with equal parts confectioners' and granulated sugars, keeps the dough from sticking. Cut into 2-inch squares. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon filling on center of each square. Overlap opposite corners of dough to the center over filling. 

Bake for 15 minutes or when corners start to brown. Cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. If not eating in a day or two, do not put confectioners' sugar on it, wrap or store in tight container. Freezing is acceptable also.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Sharon Bancroft Perez

 Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 - 3 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2TBS vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 bag chocolate chips
• 3/4 bag peanut butter chips.

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. In separate bowl.mix dry ingredients. Mix butter,sugar,and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake for 10-12 minutes

How To Make CHRUSCIKI- Angel Wings and /or Csoroge

This is Visual Directions to Follow when making Csoroge or Chrusciki.....

Recipe are on a different Page.

 Ready to Eat Above.

  Knead a soft dough................,Roll Out to 1/8 inch thick....

 Cut into 2 " Strips than crosswise to form 2x2" Diamond Shapes.....

Make Slit in center of square; draw one end through......

and Fry for a minute or two.... 

 Once it's done, Sprinkle Confectionery Sugar..

CHRUSCIKI- Angel Wings - Kathleen Syontko Szemcsak

• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1 Whole Egg
• 1 tbsp. Brandy, Rum or Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups of Flour *
• * add more to make Firm Consistency to roll
• 6 Tbsp. Sugar
• 6 Tbsp. Sour Cream

Beat eggs, add Sugar and mix in rest of ingredients and mix well.

Roll out thin approx. 1/8 inch thick
and cut into diamond shapes. Make a split in the center, pulling one end through the split.
Fry in deep hot shortening. When nicely brown remove and drain on paper toweling or brown
paper bag. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when serving.