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Ruggelach

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Ruggelach, a delicious filled and rolled cookie made pretty much anytime in my house, can be made ahead and freeze really well. In fact, there are almost always some in the freezer for ruggelach emergencies!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature. Philadelphia brand is preferred. Block only (no whipped cream cheese).

  • ½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus 9 tablespoons

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • ¾ cup raisins

  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

  • ½ cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor

  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

  • Seedless raspberry jam, if making raspberry chocolate chip ruggelach

  • Mini chocolate chips, if making raspberry chocolate chi[ ruggelach

Preparation

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add ¼ cup granulated sugar, the salt, and the vanilla. With the mixer speed on low, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball into quarters and roll each quarter into a 9” circle (more or less). Wrap each 9” (ish) disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour or freeze for future use. (You want the dough to be firm, but not so stiff it seems it will crack when rolled up).


2. While the dough chills, get out/ prepare the filling(s) for the ruggelach. As there are four disks, you can make up to four different flavors of ruggelach.


  • For traditional ruggelach, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts as your topping


3. Place the dough disc on a lightly floured surface and spread with whatever spread you will be using (for traditional, this is apricot preserves); then sprinkle with the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough.


  • For raspberry chocolate chip ruggelach: use SEEDLESS raspberry jam; then sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Press the chocolate chips lightly into the dough.


4. Cut the discs into 12 (roughly) equal-sized wedges. This is best done cutting as though it were a pizza pie: cut the whole circle in half, then half again (making 4 quarters). Then cut each quarter into thirds. [For bigger rugelach pieces, you can cut the dough into 8 pieces].


5. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge and place it on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet.


6. Chill for 30 minutes. [IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AHEAD, FREEZE THE COOKIES HERE AND DEFROST THEM BEFORE CONTINUING].


7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


8. Brush each cookie with the egg wash.


  • FOR TRADITIONAL RUGGELACH: Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle on the cookies.

  • FOR RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP RUGGELACH: sprinkle with sanding sugar.


9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.


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