Submitted by Gail Junion-Metz
 

The three cherry trees in my backyard are blooming right now. Pretty soon they’ll be full of rich red cherries that the birds and I will enjoy. Cherries are one of my favorite fruits and these cookies are one of my favorite ways to enjoy cherries. I hope you’ll try them… they’re worth the time they take to make. (They also make awesome holiday cookies!)

Filling

• 1 ½ C. dried cherries
• 1 C. cherry preserves
• ¼ C. water
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

 In a medium saucepan, simmer ingredients, stirring often, 5-8 min. until most of the water is absorbed. Put into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Refrigerate. (But bring up to room temp. before using.)

 Dough

•  3 1/3 C. flour
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ stick unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 11/4 C. sugar
• Whites from three eggs
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ tsp grated orange peel 

In a medium bowl, combine flour, powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl combine rest of ingredients and mix with mixer until fluffy. Add flour mixture ½ at a time to large bowl until dough is well blended. Divide dough in half. Press each half into a rough square. Place between 2 -12” long sheets of waxed paper. Roll each into an even 11” square of dough. Refrigerate dough flat (still in waxed paper) at least 30 minutes, or until firm.

Take dough and filling out of fridge, remove top waxed paper, spread with room temp. filling. Roll dough up tightly, peeling off the second piece of waxed paper as you go. When all rolled up, wrap again in waxed paper or plastic wrap and put in the freezer for at least 3 hours (or until the rolls are firm enough to cut easily. 

Preheat oven to 375. Coat cookie sheets with non-stick spray, or use parchment paper. Using a large, sharp knife cut the semi-frozen cookies ¼” thick (remove the waxed paper/plastic wrap first!) Place 1” apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10-13 minutes. (You may have to rotate the cookie sheets to make sure cookies brown evenly.) Remove immediately from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool. Enjoy!!!