How To Make The Delicious Jewish Treat: Rugelach

Rugelach is a delicious Jewish pastry that’s typically made with a cream cheese dough and filled with various sweet fillings like jam, nuts, cinnamon, or chocolate. I recently had my first rugelach with my boyfriend’s Passover celebration and he offered to help get a recipe out to share with the world. Here’s a basic recipe to get you started with your own rugelach for your next celebration:

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 1/2 cup fruit preserves (such as raspberry, apricot, or fig)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)

Topping:

• 1 egg, beaten
• Granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Prepare the dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until smooth.
• Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

1. Prepare the filling:

• In a small bowl, mix together the fruit preserves, chopped nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and optional raisins or chocolate chips. Set aside.

1. Assemble the rugelach:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Take one disk of dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a floured surface into a circle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Spread a quarter of the filling mixture evenly over the dough circle, leaving a small border around the edges.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 8 wedges.
• Starting from the wide end of each wedge, roll up the dough towards the pointed end to form a crescent shape.
• Place the rugelach on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and brush each with beaten egg. Sprinkle with granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.

1. Bake:

• Bake the rugelach in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Allow the rugelach to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

1. Serve:

• Once cooled, serve the rugelach and enjoy! They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Feel free to customize the filling with your favorite flavors or ingredients, I love chocolate ones! Rugelach is a versatile pastry, so you can get creative with it. If you prefer it on the crumbly side rather than the soft doughy side, that’s okay too. Remember baking is meant to be fun and yummy, so put your heart into your recipe and tag us in photos on how they come out!

Featured image via Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash