Rugelach are sweet pastries that originated with the Ashkenazi Jews in Central Europe. Traditionally they are made by rolling triangles of dough around filling to form crescents. The word rugelach is Yiddish meaning “little twists,” referring to their shape. The original recipe was made using a yeast dough that required hours of kneading and folding. Today rugelach are often made with a less labor-intensive sour cream or cream cheese dough, although pareve variations are made without dairy. The filling of rugelach typically contains ingredients such as raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seeds, and fruit preserves.
Recipe Servings: 48
+ 1 hour 30 minutes resting
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup and 9 Tbsp sugar, divided
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided
- ¾ cup raisins
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- ½ cup apricot preserves, pureed and divided
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp milk
Directions
- Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add the ¼ cup sugar, salt, and vanilla. Continue mixing on low speed.
- Add the flour and continue to mix until just combined.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll it into a ball.
- Cut the ball into four equal pieces and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.
- Chill the balls of dough in the refrigerator for 60 minutes.
- Combine 6 tablespoons of sugar, the brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, the raisins, and the walnuts in a large bowl. This will be the filling.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a floured surface.
- Roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves evenly over each of the dough circles.
- Divide the filling equally among the dough circles, sprinkling it over the preserves.
- Press the filling lightly down into the dough.
- Cut each circle into 12 equal wedges by first cutting it into quarters and then cutting each quarter into thirds.
- Roll up each wedge starting with the wide edge like you would roll up a crescent roll, tucking the pointed end underneath.
- Transfer them to baking sheets lined with parchment.
- Chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together the egg and milk to make an egg wash.
- Brush each roll-up with the egg wash.
- Stir together 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the roll-ups.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until lightly browned. Since this recipe makes 4 dozen, they will need to be baked in several batches.
- Remove the rugelach from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
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