Rugelach
Stuff 'em with raisins or chocolate chips.
By Lauren Miyashiro; Recipe by Sloane Layton
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Yields:
36 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
Make this nutty, spiced rugelach your next weekend baking project! The secret to the crescent-shaped Jewish pastry is using a food processor. Just like with homemade pie crust, the trusty countertop appliance pulses, cuts, and combines ingredients quickly so that your butter stays nice and cold, which is important when you're looking for a super flaky pastry. (You are!)
What are common ingredients in rugelach?
Many doughs calls for cream cheese to help tenderize the pastry. Before cutting the block into cubes (which helps it distribute into the flour mixture more easily), stick it in the freezer for just 15 minutes so it's easier to slice. Common fillings include raisins, walnuts, chocolate, poppy seed and fruit preserves but can vary widely.
How do you roll rugelach?
After rolling out the dough into a large round and spreading the filling on top, you'll need to cut it into evenly sized wedges. A pizza cutter is a great tool for this. Next, roll the dough from the wide end to the tip to form a crescent.
Can I make rugelach ahead of time?
The dough for rugelach can be made up to one day in advance and stored, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator. The filling can be made up to one day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
How do you store rugelach?
Store the pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Can you freeze rugelach?
Yes! Rugelach can be frozen unbaked or baked. To freeze them unbaked, place the assembled pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until they are frozen solid. Then transfer the rugelach to an airtight container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to three months. The rugelach can be baked from frozen, just add a few minutes to the bake time.
Follow the same technique for baked rugelach: Place the fully cooled rugelach on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid before transferring to an airtight container or zip-top bag. The baked rugeluch will also stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months. Let the pastries thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
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Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups
all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
- 2 Tbsp.
granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp.
salt
- 1 cup
unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 8 oz.
cream cheese, chilled and cubed
Filling
- 1 cup
walnuts
- 1/2 cup
dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup
raisins or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp.
ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp.
ground cardamom, optional
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
Topping
Heavy cream, for brushing
Turbinado sugar (or Sugar in the Raw), for sprinkling
Directions
- Step 1For the Dough: Pulse together the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until well combined, about 5 times. Add the butter and cream cheese. Pulse until crumbly and the mixture holds together when pinched, 20 to 25 times.
- Step 2Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into 3 even portions (about 8 ½ ounces each). Press and shape each portion into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Step 3For the Filling: In the bowl of a food processor, process the walnuts, brown sugar, raisins (or chocolate chips), cinnamon, cardamom and salt until finely chopped, 10 to 15 seconds.
- Step 4Preheat the oven to 375°F. If the dough discs chilled longer than 4 hours, let them stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly. Working with 1 dough disc at a time, roll on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch round. Brush lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with about 2/3 cup of the filling mixture. Press the filling firmly into the dough so that it sticks.
- Step 5Cut the dough round into 12 equal wedges. Roll each wedge up, starting from the wide end, to form a crescent shape. Place rolls, point-side down, on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 1-inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough discs and filling.
- Step 6To finish: Brush the top of each roll lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake the cookies until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through the cook time. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
Tip: A pizza cutter works great for cutting the dough into wedges.
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