Rugelach (2024)

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Ideal as a Hanukkah dessert or a cookie any time of year, this classic Rugelach recipe starts with a cream cheese cookie dough and is filled with apricots, raisins, and walnuts. These buttery, customizable Rugelach cookies are a yearly baking tradition in my home.

Rugelach (pronounced rug-a-lah) are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and perfectly buttery without being too sweet. A blast of a baking project to make, Rugelach look like mini crescent rolls but taste like delicious, nutty cookies.

These holiday cookies are traditional as a Hanukkah dessert, but are a delightful treat any time of year.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Cream cheese: You’ll need half of a plain full-fat block of cream cheese. Slice it into cubes to speed up the softening time; room temperature is ideal so the cream cheese incorporates well into the cookie dough.
• Walnut meal: In a food processor, place 1 ⅓ cups of whole walnuts. Process until walnuts are finely ground. Will yield about 1 cup of walnut meal, which is exactly enough for this Rugelach recipe.

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a stand up electric mixer fitted with the paddle, or a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until it is thoroughly combined, light, and fluffy, about 3 to 6 minutes.

2. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as necessary. Reduce the speed and slowly mix in the flour, about 30 seconds.

3. On a floured working surface, turn the dough out and divide into 2 equal pieces. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 60 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon together.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place the racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 11-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick.

5. On each round, spread ¼ cup of jam and sprinkle ½ cup of the nuts and ¼ cup of the raisins. Then, evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

6. Cut each round into 16 even wedges using a knife or pizza cutter.

7. Beginning at the wide end, roll each wedge up into a cookie.

8. Place each cookie on the prepared sheet ensuring the pointed end is underneath the cookie. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart.

9. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter over the cookies and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar over the top. Bake the cookies until they have slightly puffed and are a pale gold, about 20 minutes, rotating and switching the position of the baking sheets halfway through.

10. Transfer the hot cookies immediately to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving, about 60 minutes.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This Rugelach recipe makes 32 cookies.
• Storage: Rugelach will keep at room temperature for 3 days (wrapped tightly) or 1 to 2 weeks longer in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: Freeze the discs of dough for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe. Or freeze the shaped Rugelach cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze individually before combining in a freezer-safe bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time if necessary.
• Customize your filling: I adore the warmly-spiced, nutty, fruity combination of this Rugelach filling, but your only limit is your imagination. Try other fruit jams, dried fruits, nuts, or pie spices, or opt for a chocolate, chocolate-hazelnut, or caramel spread in place off the jam. A few tasty combinations to consider:
  • Hazelnuts+ Nutella + cinnamon + dried cherries
  • Pecans + fig jam + nutmeg + dried cranberries
  • Walnuts + apple butter + ginger + mini chocolate chips

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