Rugelach, a perfect marriage between a cookie and a mini rich filled pastry, that looks like a mini croissant.
I came across these delights in Chicago when we lived in an apartment block above a Whole Foods store.
My lazy Sunday morning treat was to pop down and grab a box of freshly cooked Rugelach. The delicious fresh soft and crispy pastry, filled with a sweet almost baklava like nut and honey filling, went perfectly with a steaming hot cappuccino from the local coffee shop and back to the sofa with the Sunday papers.
Since returning to the UK, I have had to recreate them myself. The smell of them fresh out of the oven is to die for and they are so moreish. Make sure there are few people around, otherwise you may devour the 4 dozen all yourself!
Whilst I am a fan of the traditional nut filled version, one of my team members at work hates nuts with a passion. So I have adapted the recipe to use everyday store-cupboard staples, any jam, marmalade or spread will work. Although at Christmas time my favourite is blending up a jar of mincemeat and spreading that across the dough, for a mince pie inspired version.
As the dough makes 4 dozen cookies, have fun and try various fillings and find your own favourite.
The pastry is made with a mix of cream cheese and butter giving it a light buttery flavor with a slight delicious cream cheese twang.
With the addition of cream cheese though the dough is soft. So lots of time in the fridge is needed to be able to work and roll out. Work one ball at at time and leave the rest in the fridge until you are ready.
Makes: 4 dozen cookies
Oven Temp: Gas 3, 350F, 180C (160C Fan)
Ingredients
Pastry:
225g cream cheese, at room temperature
225g butter, softened/room temperature
50g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g all-purpose flour
1 egg for egg wash
Traditional filling:
250g walnuts(chopped)
85g honey
110g raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
You can swap the walnuts and honey for pecans and maple syrup and leave out the raisins. Alternatively try pistachios and honey for a baklava inspired rugelach.
Quick and Easy Filling Ideas:
- Raspberry Jam
- Nutella/Chocolate Spread
- Mincemeat(Blended in a food processor)
- Peanut Butter and Jam
Instructions
To make the dough:
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicon nonstick baking mat.
2. In a mixer with a paddle attachment or with wooden spoon, cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined light and fluffy. Make sure both are at room temperature or they will not blend as well.
3. Add the caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Mix in the flour until combined. Do not over mix or the dough will get tough.
5. Form the dough into a ball and put onto a well floured surface. Cut the ball into quarters and wrap each in plastic wrap. Put in the fridge for an hour.
Making the traditional filling:
1. Put all the ingredients apart from the raisins into a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb.
Putting it all together:
1. On a well-floured board, remove one ball from the fridge and roll into a 9 inch circle(I use a cake tin as a template).
2. Sprinkle a 1/4 of the nut mix and a 1/4 of the raisins.
3. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges – cut into quarters, then each quarter into thirds (I use a pizza cutter for ease).
4. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge like a mini croissant. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Lightly beat the egg and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with some additional sugar.
6. Repeat until all balls of dough have been used .
7. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown
If using one of my quick filling suggestions, just spread lightly and evenly over the dough and roll.
Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe.
- Pastry/Dough
- 225g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 225g butter, softened/room temperature
- 50g caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Traditional filling:
- 250g walnuts(chopped)
- 85g honey
- 110g raisins
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- To make the dough:
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicon nonstick baking mat.
- In a mixer with a paddle attachment or with wooden spoon, cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined light and fluffy. Make sure both are at room temperature or they will not blend as well.
- Add the caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Mix in the flour until combined. Do not over mix or the dough will get tough.
- Form the dough into a ball and put onto a well floured surface. Cut the ball into quarters and wrap each in plastic wrap. Put in the fridge for an hour.
- Making the traditional filling:
- Put all the ingredients apart from the raisins into a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb.
- Putting it all together:
- On a well-floured board, remove one ball from the fridge and roll into a 9 inch circle(I use a cake tin as a template).
- Sprinkle a ¼ of the nut mix and a ¼ of the raisins.
- Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges - cut into quarters, then each quarter into thirds (I use a pizza cutter for ease).
- Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge like a mini croissant. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Lightly beat the egg and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with some additional sugar.
- Repeat until all balls of dough have been used .
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown
- If using one of my quick filling suggestions, just spread lightly and evenly over the dough and roll.
Oven Temp: Gas 3, 350F, 180C (160C Fan)
You can swap the walnuts and honey for pecans and maple syrup and leave out the raisins. Alternatively try pistachios and honey for a baklava inspired rugelach.
Quick and Easy Filling Ideas:
Raspberry Jam
Nutella/Chocolate Spread
Mincemeat(Blended in a food processor)
Peanut Butter and Jam