My Favorite New Christmas Cookies

Kipfel

My cookbook says that "these rich cookies from the former Yugoslavia have two attributes much-beloved in Eastern European cooking and baking: the use of sour cream in the pastry dough and a plump, dumpling-like shape." I decided to try this new cookie this year and really like them. They are a little like a nut roll.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups ground nuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBSP lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
powdered sugar
ground cinnamon

1. For pastry, in a medium mixing bowl cut better into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar. Make a well in the center. Combine egg yolks and sour cream. Add to flour mixture. Stir until mixture forms a ball.

2. Divide dough in half. Keeping half in the dough tightly covered, on a lightly floured surface, roll other half of dough to 1/16-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch rounds.

3. For filling, beat egg whites slightly. Add ground nuts, the 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spread a rounded teaspoon of filling onto each round to within1/4 inch of edge. Roll up jelly-roll style; with seam sides down, press ends with tines of a fork to seal. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, seam sides down.

4. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Sprinkle with a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon. Makes about 30 cookies.

Enjoy!!