Rugelach

Beat the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until light. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until fluffy. Mix in the flour. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it until it is smooth and the flour is incorporated. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball, then flatten them into disks, and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or longer.

Finely dice the cherries and walnuts. Add the remaining filling ingredients, and blend well. (If you have a food processor, all you have to do is put all the ingredients together in the bowl and pulse a few times.) Divide into 8 parts and set the mixture aside.

Work with one piece of dough at a time, leaving the other pieces in the refrigerator. Unwrap the disk and roll it into an 8-inch round. Place one part of the filling onto the dough and spread, leaving a space in the center uncovered, about 1 inch in diameter. Use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel to cut the circle into eight equal wedges. Starting at the wide (outside) edge of each wedge, roll it towards its narrow edge, like you would a crescent roll. Place the rolled wedges; tip down, on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Curve each cookie into a crescent shape. Repeat this process with the remaining dough disks.

Brush each cookie with some of the beaten egg mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the rugelach in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the pans, and cool on a wire rack.

SOILER ALERT: Nutrition Information (per serving) - 1 piece, 21 g

90 cal, 6 g fat, 1 g protein, 5 g complex carbohydrates, 4 g sugar, 17 mg cholesterol, 56 mg sodium, 27 mg potassium, 9 mg calcium, 16 mg phosphorus.