Rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry often in the shape of a French croissant made with a yeast dough or cookie dough. It is rolled with a sweet filling to include chocolate, jams, nuts, and much more. These cookies are found in bakeries all over Eastern Europe and in Jewish communities around the world. I’m excited to share my sweet rugelach cookie recipe that resembles mini-French croissants but tastes like mini fruit pies.
What is “Rugelach”?
“Rugelach” is a Yiddish word from Slavic origins meaning “horn” or “little twists” which are what the shape of the cookie resemble. Traditional rugelach dough is made with yeast; however, yeast-free versions are common today.
Rugelach’s Jewish Significance
Rugalach cookies are enjoyed year-round. However, they are commonly eaten during Jewish holidays. In fact, the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is June 5th of this year. It marks the giving of the Torah (which are the first 5 books of the Bible) on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are read in synagogues to commemorate this event.
My Rugelach Version
In creating my rugelach recipe, I wanted to keep with tradition with a twist. I chose a yeast-free cookie dough that resembles my favorite sugar cookie dough that has cream cheese and almond flavoring without all the sugar. And for a modern twist to the Jewish rugelach, I subbed sour cream with yogurt. My cookie filling resembles a fruit pie made with strawberry jam, toasted almonds, almond extract, white chocolate, and powdered sugar. They truly are mini fruit pies shaped like French croissants.
Rugelach Ingredients
For the dough ingredients, you’ll need butter, cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla and almond extracts, all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar. For the filling and topping, you’ll also need strawberry jam, powdered sugar, slivered almonds, white chocolate, and an egg.
Make the Rugelach Cookie Dough
Mix the Butter & Cream Cheese
You can make the cookie dough up to 2 days before you want to bake the cookies. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl), cream together 6 ounces (1½ sticks) of softened butter and 8 ounces of cream cheese until light, creamy, and smooth. Cream cheese is not an original ingredient in rugelach cookies; however, it’s not uncommon ingredient today thanks to Americans!
TIP: To quickly soften butter and/or cream cheese, dice it, place it in a bowl, and heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Add Sugar & Remaining Wet Ingredients
Mix in 50 grams (¼ cup) of granulated sugar until well combined. Add 4 ounces (½ cup) of yogurt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of almond extract. Mix again until smooth and well combined. Dairy like sour cream is an original ingredient in traditional rugelach, but I modernized the recipe a bit by using plain yogurt. I love almond flavoring and find it very agreeable in this sugar cookie-like dough. If you aren’t a fan of almond flavoring, just leave it out.
Sift the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl sift 270 grams (2¼ cups) of all-purpose flour. Add ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of salt and give it quick stir. With the machine on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined being careful not to overmix.
TIP: If using a spoon, stir in half of the flour and then add the remaining half.
Divide & Shape Dough to Refrigerate
Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface mixed with a little granulated sugar. Shape it into a ball or rectangle. Divide the dough into fourths (eyeball or weigh with each fourth at 198 grams). Flatten each dough piece into a disk and wrap each in a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate each disk for a minimum of 1 hour up to 2 days.
Make the Rugelach Filling
Toast the Almonds
To make the filling, begin by toasting the almonds. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Add 1 cup of slivered almonds to a dry baking sheet. I prefer slivered almonds because they are blanched and quick to toast, but you can use any type of almond. Toasting the nuts is optional, but it brings out the oils and flavors in the nuts enhancing the flavor of the filling. Bake them for 3-5 minutes until toasted. Careful not to burn them. Check them frequently. Set them aside when toasted.
TIP: If using a larger cut of nut, you’ll need to increase the baking time. I recommend blanched nuts regardless, so you have a “clean”, skin-free nut mixed in your filling.
Make the Rugelach Paste
Add 1 cup of preserves to a food processor. I love strawberry, but you could use cherry or blueberry. Then, add ½ cup of powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon of almond extract, 1 cup of white chocolate, and the toasted almonds. Blend to a chunky, thick paste. You should see chunks of chocolate and almonds. If you don’t like almond extract, then omit it. Scoop the filling into another bowl and set it aside.
TIP: I found powdered sugar works a little better than granulated sugar. Powdered sugar usually has a starch added which helps to thicken the jam preventing any oozing in the oven.
Prepare the Egg Wash
To make the egg wash topping, in a small bowl, beat 1 egg and 1 tbsp of water. The water loosens up and thins out the egg thus preventing a thick egg coating on the cookies. Then, set it aside.
Preheat Oven, Prepare Pan, & Roll out Dough
Preheat the oven to 375˚F(190˚C). Prepare a baking sheet or two by lining it (them) with parchment paper.
Lightly flour and sugar a work surface. Yes, I said sugar too. Mixing sugar and flour adds sweetness to the cookie exterior and adds a little height keeping the dough from sticking to the surface. Unwrap and add 1 dough disk. Use a rolling pin and roll it out into an ⅛-inch thick circle. Adding flour and sugar to the surface and rolling pin as needed to keep the dough from sticking. The dough should not stick to the surface as it needs to be rolled up once the filling is added.
TIP: If your dough has been in the fridge for several hours or several days, allow about 30 minutes for it to sit on the counter to warm up so it rolls out a little easier. If you forget, no worries, you’ll just need a little elbow grease in rolling it out.
Cut the Perfect Circle!
The easiest way to create the croissant shapes is to cut a near perfect circle. Use a knife to cut a 10-inch circle out of the center of the dough. You can use a round cake pan, bottom of a springform pan, or parchment paper template of a 10-inch circle. Save any extra dough from each circle to combine and make more cookies at the end, once all of the dough disks have been but cut out.
Spread on the Filling
Use a spoon or spatula to spread a thin layer of filling evenly over the dough (~1/4 cup). Leave a 1-inch border from the edge. You can press the filling into the dough to keep it in place if need be.
Cut Triangles for the Croissant Shape
Use a knife to cut out 8 pizza or pie wedges or triangles. First, cut the circle in half. Cut each half in half to equal fourths. Cut each fourth in half to get 8 total equal wedges or triangles. This is where having a well-floured and sugar surface makes it easy to roll up the cookies. 😉
Begin at the wide end of each wedge, roll it up tightly towards the center. Each cookie roll should resemble a French croissant roll.
Place each cookie roll on the prepared baking pan. Leave about an inch space between each cookie allowing for a small rise and expansion.
Brush on the Egg
Brush egg wash over each cookie roll. Then, sprinkle each cookie with granulated sugar. Coarse sugar like cane sugar is preferred for the topping as it adds sparkle and crunch to the exterior of the cookie. The egg wash is like glue for the sugar.
Bake a Batch & Continue to Roll out Other Batches
Bake each batch for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. While one batch of cookies bakes, repeat the previous steps with the remaining dough disks and filling. Or you can keep the dough refrigerated along with the filling and make another batch or two tomorrow. 😊
Once baked, place the cookies on a wire rack to cool and bake the next batch of cookies.
Baked & Ready to Eat
Check out the close-up images. If the filling is too thick, it’ll puff out of the cookie. Notice how the egg wash provided color to each cookie. The sugar added a bit of sparkle. You can see the cookie roll and filling on the inside of the cookie. The moisture from the preserves softens the interior.
I couldn’t help it, but I love the owl look of this image. Your kiddos might enjoy these if they have an owl to eat. 😊
How to Store Rugelach
Eat the cookies warm, fresh out of the oven. If not, store them in an airtight container for several days. For longer storage, place them in the fridge in a freezer bag or sealed container.
Try these Jam & Filling Variations
Replace strawberry preserves in this recipe with cherry preserves. Substitute dark chocolate for white chocolate. Use vanilla extract instead of almond extract. Use a different nut like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios. Chocolate is commonly used in place of jam filling. I wouldn’t say “no” to that!
Rugelach Final Perspective
This is an elegant cookie, but it can be served at any time. I like the versatility of this recipe. You can also use chocolate or hazelnut spread in place of the jam. Miam (Yummy)! It’s not the easiest cookie to make; however, since it’s commonly eaten during the holidays, well… no wonder, it’s special! On the flip side, it’s not difficult either.
Baker’s Perspective
This is a fun, elegant cookie to make. The cookie looks pretty with less effort than it might appear. I like that the dough can be made the night or a couple of days before rolling it out. Sometimes I just don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen and this cookie allows you to break up that time. In fact, I like to make both the cookie dough and filling a day or two before baking them.
What Didn’t Work in Trial?
I tried several variations of this cookie. I made it with different sugars, no extracts, and didn’t process the ingredients. What I found is that the cookie filling works best with powdered sugar than granulated sugar to keep the filling thick. The extracts in both the dough and filling take the cookie to a different flavor level. If you layer the filling ingredients instead of processing them all together, the jam oozes out while baking and burns on the cookie sheet. This recipe, as written, was our preferred version of this cookie in both taste and texture.
Taster’s Perspective
The best way to describe this cookie is to imagine a rolled-up fruit pie. The cookie dough is more like a sweetened pie crust. It’s tender from the butter, cream cheese, and yogurt and somewhat flaky. The sweetness is very mild and much less than a traditional American sugar cookie. The rolled fruit paste is sweet with almond and chocolate nuances. The almond extract adds a nice subtle additional flavoring to both the crust and filling. This cookie is a dessert but not super sweet. I think the sweet filling and mildly sweet crust balance out the cookie. Overall, it’s a nice tasting, elegant cookie great for a holiday gather to impress your guests.
Check out my YouTube video for more visuals in making this recipe. “Strawberry Rugelach Cookies: Rolled Sugar Cookie Dough with Strawberry, Almond, & Chocolate Filling”.
Rugelach: Sugar Cookie Dough with a Strawberry, Almond, & Chocolate Filing
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 6 oz (1½ sticks or 12 tbsp) butter softened
- 8 oz (1 pkg) cream cheese softened
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 4 oz (½ cup) full-fat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 270 g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
Filling
- 1 cup strawberry preserves (jam, jelly, or spread) cherry or blueberry
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup slivered almonds toasted is optional
- 1 cup (6 oz / 150 g) white chocolate chips or chopped bar
Egg Wash Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- 2-3 tbsp coarse sugar cane sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In a stand mixer (or large bowl), cream together butter and cream cheese until light, creamy, and smooth. Mix in sugar until well combined. Add yogurt and extracts. Mix again until smooth and well combined.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour and salt. Give it quick stir. With the machine on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined being careful not to overmix.TIP: If using a bowl and spoon, add half of the flour and stir. Then, add the remaining flour and stir.
- On a lightly floured work surface mixed with a little granulated sugar, scoop out the dough and shape it into a ball. Divide the dough into fourths (eyeball or weigh). Flatten each dough piece into a disk and wrap each in a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate each disk for a minimum of 1 hour up to 2 days. For longer than an hour in the fridge, you may need to let the dough warm up slightly on the counter for about 30 minutes to make it easier to roll.TIP: If weighing each dough piece, each should weight ~198 grams.
Make the Filling & Topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177°C). Add the slivered almonds to a dry baking sheet and bake them for 3-5 minutes until toasted. Careful not to burn them. Check them frequently. Set aside.TIPS: If using a larger cut nut, you'll need to bake them longer. Toasting the nuts is optional, but it brings out the oils and flavors in the nuts enhancing the flavor of the filling.
- To a food processor, add preserves, sugar, almond extract, chocolate, and toasted almonds. Blend to a chunky, thick paste. Set aside.TIP: Powdered sugar along with creating a paste from all the ingredients keeps the preserves from thinning out causing it to ooze out of the cookie as it bakes.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and water until well combined. Set aside.
Roll, Shape, & Fill the Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190°C). Prepare a baking sheet (or two) by lining it with parchment paper.
- Remove 1 dough disk from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin and roll it out into an ⅛-inch thick circle, adding flour and sugar to the surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking.TIP: Mixing sugar and flour adds sweetness to the cookie exterior and adds a little height keeping the dough from sticking to the surface.
- Use a knife to cut a 10-inch circle out of the center of the dough. You can use a round cake pan, bottom of a springform pan, or parchment paper template of a 10-inch circle. TIP: Save any extra dough from each circle to combine and make more cookies at the end once all of the dough disks have been used.
- Use a spoon or spatula to spread a thin layer of filling evenly over the dough (1/4 cup) leaving a 1-inch border from the edge. You can press the filling into the dough to keep it in place, if needed.
- Use a knife to cut out 8 pizza or pie wedges. First, cut the circle in half. Cut each half in half to equal fourths. Cut each fourth in half to get 8 total equal wedges or triangles.TIP: Having a well-floured surface makes it easy to roll up the cookies.
- Begin at the wide end of each wedge, roll it up tightly towards the center. Each cookie roll should resemble a French croissant roll.
- Place each cookie roll on the prepared baking pan leaving about an inch space between each cookie allowing for a small rise and expansion.
- Brush egg wash over each cookie roll and sprinkle with granulated sugar.TIP: Coarse sugar like cane sugar is preferred for the topping as it adds sparkle and crunch to the exterior of the cookie.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. While one batch of cookies bakes, repeat the previous steps with the remaining dough disks and filling.
- Once baked, place the cookies on a wire rack to cool and bake the next batch of cookies or store remaining cookie dough and filling in the fridge to bake tomorrow. Eat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Interested in some other sweet treat recipes? Check these out.
Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Latin American Tres Leches Cake
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Regular & Gluten Free)
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