Cookie Strudel

If I were choosing a cookbook category for these delicious gems, I think I'd tend to put them in the Pastry section rather than the Cookie section, but I can see why you wouldn't want to call them "strudel," which conjures up images of paper-thin dough more work than anybody would have time for.  It still seems more like a pastry than a cookie dough.  But this is just a quibble, and who cares when you can easily make these irresistible cookie/pastries at home, without much trouble at all.  The only trouble is trying not to eat them.  I just could not pass them by without taking one to nibble on.

The strudel/cookie dough is really simple.  You don't even need a machine.  Flour, salt, softened butter, and sour cream all mashed together until it forms a ball.  However, then you realize that it must be refrigerated for at least two hours, which threw off my schedule so that I ended up making the cookies the next day.  Yes, there is a PLAN AHEAD, but maybe it should be in big, bold red, as in PLAN AHEAD.  I don't think I'd miss that.  Although even the "plan ahead" instruction doesn't alert me to the possible overnight resting of the dough.  I didn't have it planned for anything, so it was no big deal, but you would think that with the number of Rose recipes I've made, I would no longer be surprised by instructions that include big time gaps.

The dough is sticky (it would be impossible if it hadn't been refrigerated), but not too bad to roll out.  Don't be shy about using flour though.

Jim got a phone call while I was rolling out the pieces of dough and strewing them with pecans, raisins, and cinnamon.  I told him he missed the most interesting part of the cookie.  He chided me for not waiting, but I told him there was no stopping a woman on a mission.  I thought of taking a few pictures with my phone, but then I looked at my extremely messy hands, and thought better of it.

My trusty lame makes sharp slices.

These are maybe a bit browner than the picture in the book, but this is the way I like pastry (I mean, cookie) dough.  Deep brown, but not burned.

They're on a plate that JJ made for us with his handprint in dark blue.  You might be able to see a couple of fingerprints if you look closely.  I love the colors.  You can see that the dough is both soft and flaky, which is a great combination.  I probably wouldn't have made these if it weren't for this bakethrough, so thank you, Alpha Bakers!