Rugelach
Jewish Holiday Pastry A flaky cream cheese dough is rolled up with sweet fillings in layers with sugar, cinnamon, dates and walnuts.
Equipment
- Standing Electric Mixer
- Rolling Pin for rolling out the dough
- Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter
- Plastic Wrap
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheets (Cookie Sheets)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter Soften to room temperature
- 6 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
- 2 3/4 Cups All Purposed Flour
- 1/4 TSP Salt
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Dates finely chopped Note: Raisins can be substituted
- 1/4 Cup Walnuts finely chopped
- 2 TSP Cinnamon
- 1 Egg Yolk Beaten with 1 teaspoon of water (egg wash)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add flour and salt. Continue mixing until well combined.
- Wrap and chill dough for 2 hours (a must).
- Meanwhile combine 1/2 cup of sugar, dates, nuts and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Divide the dough into 5 to 6 sections. You will form these in to ball.
- Work with 1 ball of dough at a time. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, clean work surface. Careful not to over work the dough.
- Roll the dough in to a flat circle about 6-8 inches.
- Trim to make sure you have a round circle. You can add the trimmed dough to one of the balls to use next.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, slice in half length ways, again sideways and into triangles (like you are slicing a pizza into quarters).
- Sprinkle the filling mixture on top of the circle.
- Starting at the wide end fold over the corners and about ¼-inch of the dough. Gently, roll the Rugelach dough toward the small end like you would a Crescent Roll. Be gentle so that you are not pushing out your filling.Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush the tops with the egg wash then immediately sprinkle with sugar. Continue until all are brushed and sprinkled with sugar.
- Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes until the cookie begins to slightly turn golden. Do not over cook.
- Cookies can be stored in airtight containers after they have cooled. They can also be placed in the freezer.
Notes
Other variations would be to add fruit preserves such as apricots, blueberry, raspberry or strawberry. Chocolate filling is delicious too with this pastry dough.