Rugelach Cookies

5 from 13 votes

Our best Rugelach cookie recipe made with an incredibly forgiving cream cheese dough rolled up with a filling of apricot preserves, nuts and chocolate.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Cookie

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: cookies, dessert

Servings: cookies

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (284g)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese cold cut into 4 pieces
1 cup unsalted butter cold cut into ½-inch pieces (226g)

For the filling:

⅓ cup walnuts finely ground (35g or 1-¼ oz)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar lightly packed
1 teaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup apricot preserves
1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

To prepare the cookie dough in a food processor:

Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the vanilla and cream cheese and pulse briefly, in 5 or 6 quick bursts. Add the butter and process until the dough forms little clumps that hold together when pinched with your fingers, about 20 seconds. The dough may appear crumbly. (Skip to Instruction No. 4 below)

To prepare the cookie dough using a mixer:

If using a mixer the butter and cream cheese should be room temperature before you begin.
Whisk together the flour and salt.
Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Blend in the sugar and vanilla. Add half the flour and mix until almost incorporated. Add the remaining flour and blend until it starts to form a cohesive dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, clean work surface. Gently form the dough into a ball and divide into three equal parts. Form each piece into a 4-inch disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

To prepare the filling:

In a small mixing bowl combine the walnuts, sugars, cocoa and cinnamon. Set aside.

To prepare the rugelach:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove one disk from the refrigerator and roll out onto a lightly floured counter to a 14-inch round, about ⅛-inch thick. Spread 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves on the dough round keeping a clean edge around the outside and a 2-inch clean circle in the center. Sprinkle 2½ tablespoons of filling over the preserves.
Cut the dough into quarters using a pizza cutter. Cut each quarter into three equal pieces. Starting at the wide end fold over the corners and about ¼-inch of the dough. Roll the rugelach toward the small end taking care not to use too much pressure. If you push too hard, the preserves will squeeze out. Curve the ends inward to form a crescent shape and place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Working with 3 or 4 rugelach at a time, brush the tops with the egg wash then immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar. Continue until all are brushed and sprinkled with sugar.
Bake for 22 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Recipe originally adapted from the cookbook Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition