Fruit-Filled Spritz Cookeis

By lisapearce

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 1 1/2 cups chopped dates
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp orange juice
• 2 tsp grated orange peel
• 1 cup maraschino cherries chopped
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup ground nuts
• Dough:
• 1 cup butter (no substitutes) softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Step 1

In a saucepan, combine the first five ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cook and stir for 8 minutes or until thickened. Cool completely. Stir in cherries, coconut and nuts. set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Using a cookie press filled with a bar disk, press a 12 inch long strip of dough onto an un greased baking sheet. Spread fruit filling over dough. Press another strip over filling. Cut into 1 inch pieces (there is no need to separate the pieces). Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden. Re cut into pieces if necessary. Remove to wire racks to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Yields: about 7.5 dozen