Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 pound butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 pint sour cream
Filling
- 1 pound dates For Homemade Date Lekvar-Style Filling
- 1 cup water For Homemade Date Lekvar-Style Filling
- 1 splash vinegar For Homemade Date Lekvar-Style Filling
- to taste honey For Homemade Date Lekvar-Style Filling
- finely chopped nuts
For Sealing and Finishing
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- powdered sugar for serving
Equipment
Silicone Baking Mats (Silpat)
Method
- Make the filling first. Add dates, water, vinegar, and honey to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick and soft. Mash or blend into a thick paste, then cool completely.
- Make the dough by mixing flour, butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, and sour cream until a soft dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to roll.
- Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut into roughly 2.5-inch squares.
- Add a small spoonful of cooled lekvar filling and chopped nuts to the center of each square.
- Brush the folding corners with egg white.
- Fold two opposite corners over the filling so the edges meet or overlap. Press firmly to seal.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until set and lightly golden.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
Tip: HTML formatted notes here.
Filled Cookies with Lekvar and Nuts Tips & Expert Strategy
TEXTURE/MOUTHFEEL: These classic pastries should be tender and lightly flaky with a dense fruit-and-nut center. They are designed to be soft vintage bakes, not crisp cookies.
CHILLING REQUIREMENT: The mixed dough must be wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator for at least one hour until firm. This solidifies the butter fats to ensure structural integrity and maximum flakiness during rolling.
STORAGE RULE: Store completely cooled cookies at room temperature in a tightly covered airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze unbaked shaped squares or fully baked cookies for up to two months.
BAKING VISUAL CUE: Bake at 350°F for approximately 20 minutes. The cookies are ready when they are fully set structurally and the bottom edges show a very pale, light golden hue while the tops stay pale.