My wife makes some incredible apricot cookies every Christmas:

Apricot Half-Moons

Dough

1 c. unsalted butter
6 oz cream cheese (regular or Neufchatel)
2 c. flour

Cream together all three ingredients and form dough into a ball. Place in refrigerator for a short time.

Filling

12 oz. dried apricots.
2 ½ - 3 c. water
1 c. sugar

Chop apricots into small pieces and place them in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and watching carefully so it doesn’t stick to pan. The filling is done when its consistency is a little runnier than jam; it will thicken as it cools.

This recipe makes enough filling for two to three batches of the dough.

Assembly

When dough is chilled, roll out quite thin (approximately 1/16 – 1/8 inch) and cut with a round cookie cutter. The dough should roll out easily; if it has been in the refrigerator for more than an hour it may be too firm, so let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften slightly.

On each circle of dough, place a small spoonful (approximately ¼ - ½ teaspoon) in the center. Fold dough over to form a half-moon, and seal edges with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-30 minutes, until lightly brown. Sprinkle while hot with granulated sugar and allow to cool completely before storing.

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Wrap one or two dried apricots in bacon and grill until you can't resist them any longer. Dig in.

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Manly Coffee Cake
3/4 cup dried apricots, soaked in hot water, drained and chopped
1 cup flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour (pastry if you have it, regular if not)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp apricot or apple puree
1 cup McAuslan Apricot Wheat Ale (or other fruited beer)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 of the apricots along the bottom of the cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
Beat eggs on high speed until thick and light in color, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Beat in sugar until combined, then add almond and vanilla extracts.
Fold flour mixture into egg and sugar mixture.
Heat beer just until bubbles begin to rise around the edge of the pan. Add fruit puree and remove from heat.
Add batter, stirring gently to combine.
Pour 1/2 the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 the remaining apricots over batter.
Top with last of batter.
Sprinkle the chopped apricots over the top of the batter.
Bake 30 minutes. Do not over-bake.
Cool on rack for 30 minutes.
Invert onto a large platter and let cool to room temperature

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