Make the filling: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a separate bowl.
If you don’t have a food processor, no sweat—you can still make rugelach. Make the dough by beating softened butter and softened cream cheese together until smooth, then add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. For the filling, chop the walnuts finely, then mix with brown sugar and cinnamon. What should I fill them with?
Apricot rugelach: You could skip the cinnamon raisin filling and just use apricot preserves to fill your rugelach. For that matter, I think almost any kind of preserves could work well.
Rugelach is such a unique, fun treat to make and share during the holidays and is perfect for a cookie exchange! In a large food processor, pulse the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and flour until the dough forms chunks that clump together when you squeeze them, about 30 seconds or so.