Title: Cranberry Jalapeno Cookies
Categories: Cookie Chili
Yield: 24 Servings

2	c	Flour
8	oz	Package cream cheese, softened
1/2	lb	Butter, softened
1/2	c	Water
1/2	c	White vinegar
3		Or 4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 1/2	c	Sugar
12	oz	Fresh cranberries
		Confectioners' sugar

Place flour in bowl of food processor. With processor running, drop in chunks of the cream cheese and butter. Process until dough is formed.

(Alternatively, mix the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl by hand or with electric beater. Slowly blend in flour until dough is formed.)

Wrap dough in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.

While the dough is freezing, make the cranberry mixture:

Place the water and vinegar in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil 5 minutes.

Add the jalapeno peppers and the sugar. Return to a boil and let boil 5 minutes.

Mix in the cranberries. Return to a boil and let boil 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and pour onto jelly roll pan. Chill for at least one hour.

When ready to assemble the cookies:

Dust work surface with confectioners' sugar. Working with a small chunk of dough, roll dough to about 1/4" thick. Cut dough into 2" squares. You can re-use the dough scraps.

Place dough squares on cookie sheet sprayed with vegetable oil spray (do not *grease* the pan or you'll have a real mess!).

Put about 1 t cranberry-jalapeno relish in the center of each dough square. Bring 2 corners of the dough-square up and seal well. (Cookie should be shaped something like this:

: /\ / \ <--- Cranberry exposed here | \ / |<--- Dough | / \ | \ / <--- Cranberry exposed here : \ /

Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. If cookies unfold during baking, press them back into shape while warm.

Cool on rack. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

Meg Fortino meg.fortino@marcam.com

previous

next