This is an easy Rugelach recipe that is fool-proof and can be customized with different fillings. They turn out buttery, flaky & delicious.
Rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry. It is very popular in Israel and commonly found in cafes and bakeries. It is made in the form of a crescent shape by rolling a triangle of dough around the filling.
Traditionally, they are filled with raisins and walnuts. Apple, apricot and chocolate versions are also common.
This recipe is a very basic recipe because you can use this to make different variations by changing up the fillings. These cookies look fancy and look like you worked all day on them, but they are quite easy to make.
I make them during the holiday season. They are perfect as edible gift for family and friends.
Why I love this recipe
- easy to make
- the dough is like play dough and a dream to work with
- perfect as holiday edible gift
- can be customized (look for rugelach filling options in the tips section)
- stay fresh for up to 1 week
Ingredients
This simple rugelach recipe has 2 components – crust and filling.
The main ingredients for the dough are flour, butter and a healthy dose of cream cheese and sour cream. The resulting dough is almost like play dough – soft and satiny. This dough has to be chilled for at least 1 hour to help in easily rolling it out.
The crust doesn’t have any added sugar in it. All of the sweetness for the cookie comes from the filling.
You can get creative with the fillings. I made walnut & dried cranberries. It is nutty, sweet and tart – all at the same time. Check out the tips section for few more different filling ideas.
Instructions
Start by making the dough: Beat the butter, cream cheese, sour cream and salt in a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and mix until a stiff dough forms. Dough is pretty sticky, at this point.
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Press into a disk, smoothing out the edges as much as possible. Wrap the discs in plastic and chill for about 1 hour, until it’s firm but not too hard to work with.
Make the filling: Process the sugar, walnuts, dried fruit and cinnamon in a processor until finely chopped and well combined.
To make Rugelach: Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out into a 10″ circle on a floured surface. Brush it lightly with the warmed fruit preserves or water.
Sprinkle half of the filling onto the round and press gently to help anchor to the dough.
Using a pizza cutter, divide the dough into 12 equal wedges, Roll each wedge, beginning with the wide end and ending with the narrow end. Place the rolls point side down on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
Brush the rugelach with milk or cream and sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Refrigerate the rugelach while the oven is preheating.
Bake the rugelach for 25~30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.
Rugelach Pinwheels
Are you wondering, how I ended up with these pinwheels? I did not read the recipe properly the first time. So instead of cutting the dough into wedges, I cut the dough into strips.
That is how I ended up with these pinwheel cookies instead of the traditional rugelach shape. So, if you are in a hurry, this is another great option.
Tips
- Feel free to use low fat cream cheese and sour cream in the recipe.
- If the dough is left in the fridge for more than 1 hour, then leave it on the counter for about 15~20 minutes before rolling it out.
- You can freeze the dough wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to bake.
- Baked rugelach can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Other Filling Ideas:
- Cocoa filling – Mix 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¾ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Spicy chocolate nut filling – Grind ½ cup lightly toasted hazelnuts or pecans and 1 teaspoon chili powder in a food processor. Melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ¼ cup sugar in a microwave. Once completely melted stir in the ground nuts, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
More Jewish inspired recipes to try
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, tag in your creations on Instagram @cook_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Easy Rugelach
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 sticks Unsalted Butter, at room temperature (16 tablespoons/ 1 cup)
- ¾ cup Cream Cheese (I used low fat and it worked fine)
- ⅓ cup Sour cream (full fat or low fat)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups All purpose flour
For the Filling:
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- ¾ cup Walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries, raisins or Currants
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Fruit preserves, warmed
For the Topping:
- As needed Milk or Cream
- As needed Turbinado or Granulated Sugar
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Beat the butter, cream cheese, sour cream and salt in a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and mix until a stiff dough forms. Dough is pretty sticky, at this point.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Press into a disk, smoothing out the edges as much as possible. Wrap the discs in plastic and chill for about 1 hour, until it’s firm but not too hard to work with.*
For the Filling:
- Process the sugar, walnuts, dried fruit and cinnamon in a processor until finely chopped and well combined.
To make Rugelach:
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out into a 10″ circle on a floured surface. Brush it lightly with the warmed fruit preserves or water.
- Sprinkle half of the filling onto the round and press gently to help anchor to the dough.
- Using a pizza cutter, divide the dough into 12 equal wedges, Roll each wedge, beginning with the wide end and ending with the narrow end. Place the rolls point side down on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
- Brush the rugelach with milk or cream and sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Refrigerate the rugelach while the oven is preheating.
- Bake the rugelach for 25~30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Feel free to use low fat cream cheese and sour cream in the recipe.
- If the dough is left in the fridge for more than 1 hour, then leave it on the counter for about 15~20 minutes before rolling it out.
- You can freeze the dough wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to bake.
- Baked rugelach can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Other Filling Ideas:
- Cocoa filling – Mix 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¾ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Spicy chocolate nut filling – Grind ½ cup lightly toasted hazelnuts or pecans and 1 teaspoon chili powder in a food processor. Melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ¼ cup sugar in a microwave. Once completely melted stir in the ground nuts, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Gayathri Kumar
What a beautiful cookie for the season. I personally prefer the chocolate version. And those pinwheels look gorgeous.
Priya Suresh
Rugelach is in my to do list since a long, dunno why am yet to bake and blog about. Am in love with these cute looking rugelach. Prefect to munch with a cup of tea.
Kalyani
Totally delish Pavani ! You right, the fillings are so customisable – almond meal, cinnamon sugar, butter or even plain ones. Bookmarking to try sometime for the kids..
Claudia Lamascolo
these are my favorite Christmas cookies and yours look perfect. I would love two dozen please! Happy Holiday!
Varada
The shape and filling makes this cookie so appealing. You have rolled and baked them so well. Bookmarked. I have to try it.
Catalina
These are my kind of cookies! Fancy and delicious! These need to happen!
Nalini
Rugelach is in my to do list so long,planning to do for Bakeathon.Yours tempted me so much.BTW rugelach looks absolutely cute and delicious.
Vaishali
Lovely cookies ! I have always wanted to bake these , but baking always takes a back seat .
The cranberry must have tasted so yum , I am trying to absorb the flavours , so delicious .
Srivalli
This is excellent Pavani, I have been wanting to make Rugelach for such a long time…your baked one has turned out awesome!
Priya Srinivasan
That is a lovely bake pavani,looks delicious and cute shape. Such a yumm gift this festive season!
Byron Thomas
Beautiful! And so festive too! To be honest, I have a weakness for jams, preserves, and marmalade, so I would skip right over the chocolate version! I think preserves lend themselves so well to baked, flaky cookies. I’m going to pin this recipe and try it later with my homemade jam. Thank you!
Mahy Elamin
These look great! Rugelach are one of my favorite things to make…and eat. My mom used to make these every year for Christmas, so delicious!
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
I remember making these with apricot jam filling… or was it something else? Trying to figure out… I am drooling at those snail shaped and cinnamon roll ones, my elder one is a cinnamon roll fanatic and she would really love these…
Sharmila Kingsly
Rugelach looks stunning and perfect just awesome holiday bake!!
Pavani
Lovely cookies, really liked the both shapes of the cookies and they look amazing.thanks for sharing.
Swati
Beautiful cookies with beautiful pics!! Perfect bake holiday bake!!
Renu
Beautiful beautiful and just beautiful. They look so so nice and tempting. You have made it to perfection. Awesome recipe and thanks for giving 2 filling options. Bookmarking this.
Suma Gandlur
Didn’t know that rugelach dough has cream cheese in it. That platter of rugelach looks so inviting and apt for the season.
Chef Mireille
these are awesome – I have been eating these mywhole life but loved them even more when I made them myself last year – I now much prefer the home made version – Yours look so delicious!
Veena Krishnakumar
This is on my to do list for a very long time. Have bookmarked to be tried soon