Day 7: Homemade Berry Newtons

Another wet and wintry day, another reason to stay cooped up indoors again. Thus, I am so glad I did not have work today and got all my errands done yesterday.

I've been lacking sleep for this past week and unfortunately did not get the opportunity to catch up on it this weekend. That state between dreamland and reality is a funny feeling. I can hear and respond when I am being spoken to but for the life of me, cannot get up and get moving. When I finally do, every movement is without thought and focus.

But with full thought and focus right now, for Day 7 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies I bring to you homemade berry newtons. Just like fig newtons, but better and healthier! To be frank, this recipe is a bit time consuming due to the assembling step. However, the end result is absolutely worth it. It's like eating a sweet whole wheat toast with extra, extra jam.

The cookie may be a small package but it sure packs big flavor.

Homemade Berry Newtons

Adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

Makes 32 cookies

ingredients - for dough

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup flax

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for filling

2 cups blueberries

2 cups strawberries, chopped

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons water

make the dough

1. Cream together the butter and sugar.

2. Add in the egg whites, vanilla extract, and water and beat until well combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, flax, and ground cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and beat until everything is well combined.

4. Form the dough into a rough rectangle shape and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

make the filling

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, strawberries, and sugar.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes. Mash the berries the with the back of a fork.

3. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add half of this mixture to the simmering berries and stir until the consistency is the thickness of jam. If necessary, add the rest of the cornstarch mixture to the berries until the appropriate consistency is achieved. Remove from heat once done.

equipment prep

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line your baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

assemble and bake

1. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12- by 16-inch rectangle and cut into four equal 4- by 12-inch strips.

2. Spoon the berry filling down the middle of each strip, leaving about an inch of dough from each edge clean. Then fold the edges over the filling and pinch to seal.

3. Cut each log into 8 even pieces and place the cookies seam-side down on your baking sheet about 1 inch apart from each other.

4. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

*** ENJOY!