pat's Recipe

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Nut Strudel

Category: Cookies

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/2 lb ground walnuts or pecans
powdered sugar

In a mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer till well combined. Add flour and mix well. Shape into a ball. Cover and chill dough for 1-2 hours.
For filling, in a sauce pan, cook sugar and milk over medium heat till the milk boils and sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Stir in nuts. Remove from the heat; cool till spreadable.
Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to form an 18x12-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into two strips. Spread each with nut filling. Starting from a long side, roll up each strip, jelly roll style.
Cut rolls crosswise in half to fit on baking sheets. Place, seam side down, on ungreased cookie sheets. Cut into generous 1/2-inch thick slices without separating. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till done. Let col slightly. Remove; cook on wire racks.
Dust with powdered sugar. Separate the slices into individual cookies. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

makes about 60 cookies.