Rugelach are rolled crescent pastries originating in the Jewish communities in Poland, and today they are popular across the Jewish diaspora, especially during holiday times. The name means “little twists,” and some believe the pastries inspire French Croissants. The dough for rugelach is usually made with sour cream and/or cream cheese, making a flaky pastry. The filling is made with sugar and walnuts, with dried fruit sometimes included. They’re a delicious treat, easy to make, and perfect for holiday baking.
On the Ingredients
- Walnuts are a popular nut from a tree that likely originated in Central Asia, though there are now 20 species growing wild across the world. It’s appropriate that walnuts look like little brains, as they are pretty good for the brain due to their high antioxidant content and other nutrients. They have a lot of other benefits too. Walnuts have a mild flavor and buttery texture, making them a great base for dips. (Read more about walnuts).
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
You can use other nuts or dried fruit for this recipe as well.
Rugelach from Scratch
36
servings30
minutes30
minutes1
hour2
hoursRugelach are rolled crescent pastries originating in the Jewish communities in Poland, and today they are popular across the Jewish diaspora, especially during holiday times. The name means “little twists,” and some believe the pastries inspire French Croissants. The dough for rugelach is usually made with sour cream and/or cream cheese, making a flaky pastry. The filling is made with sugar and walnuts, with dried fruit sometimes included. They’re a delicious treat, easy to make, and perfect for holiday baking.
Ingredients
1 cup butter (room temp)
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar OR golden monkfruit
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
Directions
- Sift the flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and salt. Using your hands, combine the ingredients into a dough (if it’s too sticky, add a little more flour but be careful not to overwork the dough). Split the dough into three equal portions. Shape them into round disks, wrap them, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to one day.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Finely chop the walnuts and cranberries (if using cranberries) and combine them in a bowl with the sugar and cinnamon. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the first dough disc into a circle about 1/8” thick. Brush the top of the circle with water to moisten it lightly. Cover the circle with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Use a knife or pizza cutter to circle the circle into twelve triangles. Roll each triangle from the wide end to the point, the sugar on the inside. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the rugelach, so the point of the dough is on the bottom. Repeat with the other two dough discs and the remaining filling.
- Beat the egg with a tbsp of water and brush each rugelach with the egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack, and enjoy!
