Michele Norris returns to her kitchen with baker Dorie Greenspan to find out how her first try at making rugelach turned out. Greenspan says that, for her, the process of making the cookies is what evokes the holidays.
MICHELE NORRIS, host: And now, for something a little sweeter to digest.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Now, if you were with us, a few minutes ago, you know that Dorie Greenspan and I just had a session in the kitchen, and we made her mother-in-law's recipe for rugelach. If you're just joining us, this is Dorie Greenspan, cookbook author, the name of her book is “Baking: From My Home to Yours,” and she's come to my home to help give me a master class in holiday baking. Well, this is the cookie for me. This is my holiday cookie. And you've done a beautiful job.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): Oh, they smell so good.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: They smell delicious. I'm going to put the baking rack out here.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): Good.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Oh, Dorie, that dough is delicious.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): Isn't it good? A little tang from the cream cheese. Now, we're tasting them warm. They're really going to change as they cool, because cooling is really part of baking, because it really gives anything that you bake time for it to come together, gather itself, you know, its texture will change. And so it's fun to taste it now while it's warm, and then you'll see how the dough will change as it gets cooler.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Are we eating them too early?</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): We're eating them a little too early but they're good.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: How was I to know?</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): And it's just -</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Quality control.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Now, we began this up by - you were telling me that you, that the recipe is an amended version of your mother-in-law's rugelach. Has she ever tasted this?</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): She has, and you know, she's so terrific. She is such a fan. Maybe, she doesn't like the chocolate. I don't know. She always says she loves them.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Good. And that's high praise if someone says you've actually taken a recipe and improved it.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): You know, my mother-in-law gave me the recipe. And I think that this recipe has been changed over the years. I know that her neighbor, Mrs. Strauss(ph) made rugelach, and she made them a little bit differently. And I think that that's what family recipes are about. You'd get them. You make them your own. You pass them along to your family.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Well, thank you for passing some ideas for my family as I began this adventure of baking in the holidays. Thank you Dorie.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): I loved it.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: It's been wonderful to be here. I'm hugging her on the radio.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Dorie Greenspan, her book is called, “Baking: From My Home to Yours.” And if you're interested again in the recipe for rugelach or other recipes, you could find that at our Web site NPR.org. Happy baking.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): Happy Holidays.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Mmmm. I need a strong cup of coffee with that.</s>Ms. DORIE GREENSPAN (Columnist; Author of “Baking: From My Home to Yours”): I need another cookie.