Rugelach are delicious crescent roll pastries filled with any of your favorites like sweet fruit preserves, nuts, chocolate or pretty much anything your heart could desire!
I’m lucky that my husband and I get to share and celebrate two holidays in our home with our kids: Hanukkah and Christmas. Ever since my husband and I first started dating years ago, we have enjoyed taking part in each other’s holiday traditions. Sure, my husband freaked out that first year when he came home from work late one night and found a huge evergreen tree in his living room adorned with ornaments and twinkling lights by yours truly, but now he loves it. 😉
When I was growing up, my family always had sugar and gingerbread cookie making parties, so when I decided to continue the tradition with my own kids, I wanted to make sure a cookie my husband loved growing up was represented as well. Rugelach isn’t exactly a cookie, it’s more of a pastry, but it certainly looks right at home on a cookie plate and my hubby is addicted to them.
As with most of my sweet recipes, I always try to cut down on a lot of the sugar. So, instead of sprinkling a cup of sugar on the dough before adding the filling, as most traditional rugelach recipes call for, I simply fill mine with low sugar preserves and tons of chopped fruit, nuts and bittersweet chocolate (for those who really want to take them up a notch). That makes them sweet, but not too sweet.
I must have done something right because Kenya and my husband couldn’t keep their paws off of the first batch I made. I am not exaggerating when I say I came into the kitchen shortly after they came out of the oven to find almost all 24 cookies gone before I could photograph them for the picture you see above. At this time of year laughing and baking cookies is what the holidays are all about, no matter which one(s) you celebrate!
Rugelach
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
Filling Options:
- 1/4 cup preserves (apricot, strawberry, raspberry)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped dried fruits (cranberries, raisins)
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dried fruit, optional
Instructions
- Place the first four ingredients in a food processor or standing mixer and mix until combined.
- Slowly add the flour, little by little until just combined.
- Divide the dough into 2 balls, wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a 9 inch round and using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into 12 equal wedges (like a pizza pie).
- Before separating the wedges evenly spread the round with 2 tbsp preserves.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of filling of your choice and press them down gently to adhere to the dough.
- Starting with the wide end of each wedge, roll up into 24 cookies.
- Place on a baking sheet with the tip pointing down and brush with egg wash.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Thank you for this recipe. I have been seeking a cream cheese dough for the rugelach that I learned to make as a child. My Grandma, Bertha, was a holocaust survivor who churned out rugelach and hamentaschen in huge batches. She taught me to make them when I was young. Your recipe looks like my memories of her recipe. But, she made a cinnamon and sugar mixture that she rolled them in before baking.
I have a stupid question…I’m new at baking…how do you make the dough “round”. Do you use a round plate? Or is there a better way?thanks
Love this recipe and the creativity it allows for fillings! Made a couple batches today: raspberry/Choc chip, apple butter/pecans, pumpkin purée with a little cinnamon/butterscotch chips, and PB/Choc chips. All delicious! Thanks for a fun versatile recipe!
Ener-G and Bobs Red Mill make good egg substitutes. A mashed banana or applesauce also work as a substitute with most recipes.
unfortunately since this is a dough you need the egg. 🙁
im a vegetarian, can i NOT use egg in this recipe?
Can you use the pillsberry readymade dough for moms who dont have much luck with dough or the time?
just made two batches of these with cranberry-mango preserves i made with almonds and the other with raisins, almonds and i did sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar first. 😉 one batch was vegan using margerine and nut paste i made in the blender out of almonds, oats, a little rice milk and a lil water. i put the dough in the freezer for 1 hr 20 min. they all came out just delicious!!! THANK YOU! i am a hero in my home. 🙂
Just whipped up a batch, since all the ingredients were on hand. Aweseome! 🙂
Wow! Made these tonight for a Hanukah get-together and they were delicious (as well as your sweet gingery tofu which was also great). Thank you!
I would definitely double this recipe, one recipe makes 24 cookies and they are about the length of a small finger. I just made 2 batches and gave them to two different people 🙂
Approximately, how big is each finished cookie? I’m trying to figure out if I need to double this or not to give as gifts to two different people. Thank you!
I forgot to mention that I chilled the dough way too long (I ended up having to leave the house after making the dough so it was in the fridge 5 hrs instead of 1). The dough was like a rock, so I just put it in the microwave for 10 seconds and then it was perfect.
These are great! I didn’t follow the filling recipe, and I should have used more filling than what I did so I’ll change that for next time. For 1/2 I just used 2 T strawberry jam and I probably should have used 1/4 cup. For the other 1/2 I spread them with around 1 T softened butter and then sprinkled with 2 T or so of brown sugar and a handful of chopped pecans. I dusted them with a little powdered sugar too. Yum! Oh, also, I used 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 all-purpose flour and they’re still super, so I might try doing 3/4 wheat and 1/4 white next time.
I’ve made these TWICE already today (morning party and evening get-together). They are so delicious! I may even have the recipe memorized already. HA! Thanks!
First cut the circle in 1/4’s then in each 1/4 make 3 triangles by cutting 2 lines in it. So you will get 3 triangles in each 1/4 making it 12 wedges 🙂
Too funny! I literally just put these in the oven. I had the same problem. I made 16 and they look like they will come out great!
OK, I am feeling stupid. But I’m not able to get 12 equal wedges. You get either 8 or 16.
Help?
YES!! that will be so heavenly!
that sounds heavenly!
Would nutella work as a filling?
I love your website.
I have tried few of your recipes for my 2 year old son and the came out great.
Thank you so much
Yes 🙂 freeze before baking
Do you think these could be frozen? Maybe before baking? I’d love to make them but fear I’d eat them all to make sure they didn’t go bad 😉
I always enjoy your daily offerings. Thank you!!!
These look absolutely amazing! Showed the picture to my kids this morning and they are begging me to make them. We are excited to try them. Thanks for the recipe.
You can use margerine instead of butter but I am not sure of any substitute for cream cheese 🙁
Hi!
These look amazing. Is there any dairy / soy free substitute for the cream cheese? Otherwise I’d make them straight away.
Thanks.