Little pies or big cookies—whatever you call them, these “take anywhere” cookies are perfect for picnics, for sending off to a friend, or as a lunch box surprise. They have a raisin and brown sugar filling sandwiched between a foolproof cream cheese pastry. The flaky pastry is so easy to handle that it even skips the rolling process—it can be patted into shape.
Be sure to cool the raisin filling before assembling the cookies, or the warm filling will melt the dough. There is no need to chill this dough before forming the cookies unless it’s a hot summer day. Then the dough will be easier to handle if it is refrigerated briefly until it is firm.
makes 12 cookie sandwiches • cookie making 25 minutes • cookie baking 375 degrees, for about 20 minutes
filling
1¾ cups raisins
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pastry
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened (for about 30 minutes)
6 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened (for about 30 minutes)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
icing
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk, plus up to 2 teaspoons if needed
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
MAKE THE FILLING. In a medium saucepan, combine the raisins, brown sugar, water, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon and heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the brown sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a gentle boil for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is thick and syrupy. Set aside at room temperature until the mixture is cool to the touch, about 20 minutes. Once the raisins cool, they will look shiny and glazed.
MAKE THE PASTRY. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, cream cheese, and salt until blended. Add the flour and continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.
Roll 2 tablespoons of the dough between the palms of your hands into a smooth ball. Press and flatten the dough to a 3½-inch circle and place it on the prepared baking sheet; press down on it if necessary to make it the right size. Leaving a ¼-inch plain edge, spread 1 tablespoon of the cooled raisin filling over the dough. Press and flatten another 2 tablespoons of dough to a 3- to 3¼-inch circle.
Place the dough circle over the raisin filling and use a fork to seal the edges together. (The top circle is slightly smaller so that the dough edges are not overly thick.) Repeat to make a total of 12 cookies, spacing them 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake the cookies until the edges and bottoms are light brown, about 20 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE ICING. In a small bowl, stir the powdered sugar together with enough milk to form a thick but pourable icing. Leaving the edges plain, use a small metal spatula or dull knife to spread a thin layer of icing over the top of each cookie. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the icing is firm.
The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
choices
Omit the frosting. Before baking the cookies, use a pastry brush to brush the top of each with an egg wash made by beating 1 large egg together with 1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream. Sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar over the top of each cookie and bake as directed.