Rugelach Recipe

Name: Rugelach
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 250 g plain flour; 1 tbsp caster sugar; ¼ tsp fine salt; 225 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes; 225 g cold full-fat cream cheese, cut into cubes; 90 g apricot jam, warmed; 100 g caster sugar; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 100 g walnuts, finely chopped; 80 g raisins; 1 egg, beaten, for glazing; 1 tbsp coarse sugar

Why This Rugelach Recipe Works

Rugelach are the small rolled pastries of Ashkenazi Jewish baking, and they are one of the most loved cookies in New York bakeries and Jewish delis. The name comes from Yiddish and is said to mean little twists, and the pastries are made by rolling a triangle of dough around a sweet filling, into a small crescent. The dough is the marvel: made from equal weights of butter and cream cheese, with flour, it is tender, flaky and slightly tangy, and it rolls out easily when chilled. The classic filling is apricot jam, cinnamon sugar, chopped walnuts and raisins, though chocolate and poppy seeds are popular too. The dough is easy but must be kept cold. The butter and cream cheese are chopped into the flour, the dough is divided and chilled for a couple of hours, and it is rolled into circles that are cut into wedges, filled and rolled from the wide end to the point. Chilling the shaped pastries on the tray for a few minutes before baking helps them hold their shape and keeps the filling from leaking. They are baked until golden, and the jam bubbles out a little and caramelises on the tray, which is part of the charm. Rugelach keep well, and are a good pastry for holidays, and for gifts.

How to Make Rugelach

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Pulse the flour, the tablespoon of sugar and the salt in a food processor. Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse until the dough just starts to clump together.
Tip onto the worktop, divide into 4 and press each piece into a flat disc. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C / 320°F fan) and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Mix the 100 g of sugar with the cinnamon.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 23 cm circle. Spread with a quarter of the jam, leaving a small border, and sprinkle with a quarter of the cinnamon sugar, walnuts and raisins. Press the filling down lightly.
Cut the circle into 6 wedges. Roll each wedge up from the wide end towards the point and set it point side down on the tray, curving the ends slightly. Repeat with the other discs.
Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until deep golden.
Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then lift onto a wire rack.

Tips for Making Rugelach

Keep the dough cold. If it softens as you roll it, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes, and the pastries will keep their layers.
Chop the nuts finely and press the filling down. Large pieces make the dough tear as you roll, and loose filling falls out.
Place the point of each wedge underneath the pastry. It stops the rugelach from unrolling in the oven.

What to Serve with Rugelach

Hot tea
Coffee
Fresh fruit

Storing & Reheating Rugelach

Keeps in an airtight container for 5 days. The unbaked, shaped rugelach freeze for 2 months and can be baked from frozen with 5 more minutes.

Rugelach FAQ: Common Questions

How long does Rugelach take to make?

About 1 hour 5 minutes of hands-on work — 40 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking — plus 2 hours of Chilling, so allow 3 hours 5 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 24.

What are the key tips for making Rugelach?

Keep the dough cold. If it softens as you roll it, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes, and the pastries will keep their layers. Chop the nuts finely and press the filling down. Large pieces make the dough tear as you roll, and loose filling falls out. Place the point of each wedge underneath the pastry. It stops the rugelach from unrolling in the oven.

What should I serve with Rugelach?

Hot tea; Coffee; Fresh fruit.

Can Rugelach be made ahead or frozen?

Keeps in an airtight container for 5 days. The unbaked, shaped rugelach freeze for 2 months and can be baked from frozen with 5 more minutes.

Is Rugelach suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and low-carb. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Rugelach?

About 214 kcal per serving, with 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Rugelach Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

214Calories

3gProtein

19gCarbs

14gFat

1gFibre

10gSugar

50mgSodium

Vegetarian Low-Carb

Rugelach

How to Make Rugelach

Tips for Making Rugelach

What to Serve with Rugelach

Storing & Reheating Rugelach

Rugelach FAQ: Common Questions

Rugelach Nutrition

Reader Reviews

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How to Make Rugelach

Tips for Making Rugelach

What to Serve with Rugelach

Storing & Reheating Rugelach

Rugelach FAQ: Common Questions

Rugelach Nutrition

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

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