Chocolate Chip, Cherry and Walnut Rugelach

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 8 tablespoons cherries dried
• 12 tablespoons smucker's cherry preserves 
• 6 ounces cream cheese chilled cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 8 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips miniature
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 1 cup butter unsalted chilled cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 sticks)
• 8 tablespoons walnut pieces finely chopped
• 0.3 cup whipping cream ()

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven

Directions

1. Blend first 3 ingredients in processor.
2. Add butter and cream cheese and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
3. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
4. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
6. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 9-inch round.
7. Spread 3 tablespoons cherry preserves over dough, leaving 1-inch border.
8. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dried cherries, then 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons walnuts. Press filling firmly to adhere to dough.
9. Cut dough round into 8 equal wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly. Arrange cookies, tip side down, on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart and bending slightly to form crescents. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough disks, preserves, dried cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar and walnuts.
10. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes.
11. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F.
12. Brush cookies lightly with whipping cream.
13. Bake frozen cookies until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
14. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.)