Cream Cheese Pastries

These Kolachi like cookies are a bit more tender and easier to make, and awesome to eat, you'll want to make lots of these.
Simple and delicious, They're a winner at my house for Christmas, I think you'll love these too

Cream Cheese Pastries

2 Cups Flour
1 Cup  unsalted butter ( room temp)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, ( room temp)
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Assorted jellies and jams
(we like raspberry, appricot, currant and strawberry, I also use a cheese filling, nut filling will also work well * see Pecan tassie recipe for nut filling)

Combine butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl, beat till fluffy, add sugar and blend gently, add flour and salt, and beat gently to combine well.
this will be a soft dough, cover bowl and refigirate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
Divide dough into 3 parts, remove one part and refrigirate the remaining dough. On a floured surface roll dough into a 10 X 12 size. Cut these into 2 inch sqares and add about 1/4 teaspoon of filling, bring 2 ends together and pin at center to form a bow tie. Bake on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes, pastries should be slightly golden but not brown.
Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

*Use fillings sparingly, the jelly and jam will melt and overflow the cookie if you add too much, the cream cheese filling and the nut filling will puff up and may overflow, work with about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of filling.

This pastry can be a little soft and sticky, avoid using too much extra flour with it, as it will toughen the dough, I don't usually roll mine out, I take teaspoons of dough and place it on my floured palms (first I wash my hands in cold water ) then I simply flatten the dough with my hands, add the filling, pinch and place on the sheet. This method works well for me. If you have difficulty with the dough, try it.
You may also want to pop the dough into the freezer for a few minutes to help it hold better.

Cheese filling

1 (8 oz) package Cream cheese (room temp)
1 egg
3/4 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract.

Combine cream cheese, egg and sugar, beat till creamy, add vanilla, beat till well combined. Use as filling in cream cheese pastries