In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth.
Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar and beat until very smooth.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the cloves. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Divide dough into thirds; flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll one disk at a time into a 1/8-inch-thick round about 12 inches in diameter.
Spread each evenly with about 1/2 cup cranberry filling, then sprinkle with a third of the chopped white chocolate and a third of the walnuts.
Cut each round into 16 wedges (as you would cut a pie). Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge around filling; bend each roll slightly into a crescent.
Place cookies about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
In a small bowl, beat egg yolk and milk to blend. In another small bowl, mix remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Brush cookies lightly with egg mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar; discard any remaining egg mixture (save remaining cinnamon sugar for other uses).
Bake cookies in a 350 oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.
Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.
Cranberry filling. In a food processor, whirl 2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (sorted and rinsed) or thawed frozen cranberries, 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, and 1 unpeeled orange (8 oz.), rinsed and quartered (seeds discarded), until smooth.
Scrape into a 3- to 4-quart pan and add 1/2 cup sugar; stir often over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Chill until cool, at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
