Also try my recipe for Italian Variety Christmas Cookies. Happy Holidays to everyone!
Makes about 80 cookies.
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 8 oz dried mission figs (1 1/2 c)
- 1 c pecan halves
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Dough:
- 4 c all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp gluten flour
- 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 packets stevia sweetener (3 gr or about 1 oz)
- 1 c vegetable shortening
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 c whole milk
Toppings:
- 1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 tsp water
- 6 drops red food coloring
- 6 drops green food coloring
- 4 Tbsp butter
Directions:
- In a food processor or on the cutting board, mince the figs and pecans until fine. Add water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix well. Divide filling into 8 even balls. Set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt and stevia into a large bowl; combine well. Cut shortening in with a pastry blender or fork until dough looks like coarse meal.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add to the flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until it forms a dough.
- Turn dough onto a clean surface and knead 3 minutes. Divide into 4 pieces.
- Using a rolling pin, roll each dough piece into a 9″ x 6″ rectangle. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise, forming two 9″ x 3″ rectangles.
- Using one filling ball for each dough rectangle, run a line of filling down the middle of each lengthwise. Roll dough over and seal seams and ends.
- Cut each roll into 9-10 one-inch segments.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one-fourth of the cookies on each baking sheet, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart.
- Toppings: Place the sesame seeds in a bowl. Place half the coconut in a second bowl and the rest in a third bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp water on each bowl of coconut and put the red coloring in one bowl and green in the other.
- Using a separate spoon for each, blend the coconut, water and coloring until evenly colored.
- Melt butter and brush each cookie with butter. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cookies with sesame seeds, 1/3 with red coconut, and 1/3 with green coconut. Bake 6 minutes. Switch baking sheets around for even baking, and bake another 6 minutes.
- Remove cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat this process with the other half of the cookies.