Chill dough until easy to handle without sticking too much.  This dough behaves much like sugar cookie dough as far as not being able to handle if it gets too warm.
 
Filling:
 
1 lb. dried figs
1/2 large jar mincement
1/2 pkg. golden raisins
1/2 jar orange marmalade
1-2 cups chopped nuts (we prefer pecans, but walnuts are good, too)
 
Place figs in food processor and chop well.  Add mincement, raisins and marmalade; blend together with figs.   Fold in chopped nuts (my daughter likes to also add finely chopped chocolate to her fruit/nut mixture, but the old time Italian fig cookies don't use chocolate).
 
Take a fistfull of dough in your hands and, shape into a log about 5-6" long and the roundness of a quarter.  Place on lightly floured surface and roll into a 6-8" x 4-5" rectangle.  Place a line of filling mixture down center and roll it up like a log.  Place seam side down and slice on an angle to desired thickness.  Anything less than 3/4" is too thin.  Some cut the slices up to 2" wide.  Try a few and see what you like best.
Note:  Don't be tempted to work with a larger amount of dough because it gets soft rather quickly and it can be difficult to handle.
 
Place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheet on bottom rack of 375 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes; move pan to center of oven and bake 10 more minutes.   When you move the first batch to the center of the oven, you can place a new batch of cookies on the bottom rack, and continue on that way until you've baked them all.  Note:  If you don't have time to make all the cookies in one day, the dough and the filling will keep in the refrigerator quite nicely for several days, if you cover it tightly.
 
Store cookies in airtight container.  We usually store ours in the freezer, keeping out only enough for the cookie jar.
 
Some people ice their cookies and decorate with sprinkles.  My family prefers them without icing.  Also, there are small children in the family and Royale Icing contains uncooked powdered egg whites.

Double Ginger Crackles

From Sharon Mellon, Houston

2 ¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 ¾ t. ground ginger

1 t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

6 oz. (3/4 c) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/3 c. granulated sugar, divided

1 large egg, room temperature

¼ c. molasses

3 T finely chopped crystallized ginger

Heat oven to 350. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or non-stick baking liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until well blended. Add the egg, molasses, and crystallized ginger; beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.

Pour the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat. Set the balls 1 ½-2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and the bottoms are lightly brown, about 12-14 minutes. If you touch a cookie, it should feel dry on the surface but soft inside. Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool.

                                        ITALIAN FIG COOKIES  From Virginia Musachia & Kathryn Falco 
                       3 LB OF FIGS
                     1 LB OF DATES
                     1 LB OF RAISINS
                     1 LB OF PECANS
                     1 1/2 CUPS OF SUGAR
                     1 JAR OR 1 1/2 CUPS OF PINEAPPLE OR STRAWBERRY PERSERVES (WE USE THE STRAWBERRY)
                     1 TEA SPOON OF ALL SPICE
                     1 TEA SPOON OF CINNMON
                      1  1/2 CUP OF HOT WATER