How to Make Rugelach

How to Make Rugelach

Making rugelach at home is easier than you think. It does take time since the dough needs to be refrigerated, then rolled out, but the resulting pastry is well worth the investment in time. Follow these step-by-step instructions with photos to learn how to make traditional Jewish rugelach cookies. For the dough, you'll need:

• 7 ounces/200 g butter
• 8 ounces/250 g cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour

Make Cream Cheese Dough

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the flour and mix lightly. 

Chill the Dough

 Refrigerate the dough for an hour or more. Divide the chilled dough into four balls.

Roll Dough into a Circle

On a floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll one ball of dough out into a circle until about 1/8-inch thick.

Spread or Sprinkle the Filling

Whatever filling you use—whether it's chocolate or apricot—spread it onto the center of the circle.

Cut into Wedges

Cut the pastry into pie-shaped wedges. A pizza cutter makes it easier to cut the dough into wedges, but a knife can be used too. For uniform bite-sized rugelach, the thick end of the wedge should about an 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide. If you use too much filling, it will fall out when you roll up the dough and result in messy-looking cookies.

Roll Up the Wedges

Start at the wide edge of the wedge and roll the dough up toward the point.

Place Cookies on Baking Sheet

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place each pastry seam side down on the paper. If you don't want to use parchment paper, you can spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. If you want to freeze the cookies and bake them later, put the cookies on the parchment paper into the freezer.

Glaze the Rugelach

Brush each pastry with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the Rugelach

Bake at 350 F/180 C for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.