WALNUT HORNS (aka Rugelach or Kiflis)

A rich dough made from cream cheese, butter and flour is filled with a not-too-sweet walnut mixture.  The filled dough is then rolled in granulated sugar, which keeps the filling from oozing everywhere.  The finished product is a tender, flaky cookie with a slightly crisp exterior and a rich walnut filling. 

This recipe, from Taste of Home Magazine’s December/January 2010 issue, features a quick and easy make-ahead dough that will keep in the fridge for up to seven days.  Though the title of “walnut horn” is catchy, this cookie is really a walnut rugelach.  Since the dough is curved to form a crescent shape, you could also call it a kifli, though the traditional kifli dough is made with sour cream and eggs.  It is one of our favorite cookies.

Walnut Horns (aka Rugelach or Kiflis) Adapted half recipe from Taste of Home Magazine, December/January 2010 Rating:  10/10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

DOUGH: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft 4 oz. cream cheese, soft 1/8 tsp. Diamond kosher salt 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled In work bowl of food processor, pulse butter, cheese and salt till well combined.  Gradually add flour, pulsing till combined.  Divide dough into three portions; form into discs; cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to seven days. FILLING: 2 cups ground walnuts 6 Tbsp. +1/3 cup sugar, divided use Big pinch of salt 1/4 cup milk 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla extract.) 1 tsp. unsalted butter, melted In work bowl of food processor, combine walnuts, 6 Tbsp. sugar, salt, milk, vanilla and butter.  Pulse till well combined and walnuts are finely ground.  ASSEMBLY: Heat oven to 350F.  Line baking sheets with parchment; spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.  Roll out each dough disc into 8” circle.  Spread one third of filling over each circle, to 1/2 inch from wide end.  Cut each circle into 12 triangles and roll up, starting from wide end.  Roll each in remaining sugar.  Place, point side down, onto prepared baking sheets.  Curve ends of each cookie to form crescents.  Bake 27-30 minutes, or till very lightly browned.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.  Roll warm cookies in remaining sugar again. Yield:  36 cookies