Description
Enjoy the delightful taste of homemade rugelach, featuring a buttery dough filled with a sweet cinnamon-nut mixture. These crescent-shaped pastries are perfect for sharing at any gathering, offering a deliciously flaky texture and a touch of sweetness that will impress everyone!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
- 1/2 cup raisins or currants (optional)
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Whisk them together to ensure they are well mixed.
- In another bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract to the butter and cream cheese mixture. Continue to beat until everything is well combined and fluffy.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Once the dough comes together, divide it into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a disk, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Add the finely chopped nuts to the cinnamon-sugar mixture. If using raisins or currants, toss them in as well. Stir until well combined.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take one disk of dough out of the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a circle about 1/8 inch thick.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the cinnamon-sugar-nut mixture evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.
- Starting from the wide end of each wedge, roll the dough towards the point, creating a crescent shape. Place each rolled rugelach on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Repeat the rolling and filling process with the remaining disks of dough until all the dough and filling are used up.
- Brush the tops of the rugelach with the beaten egg.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the egg-washed rugelach.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a variation, try adding chocolate chips or dried fruit to the filling.
- Make sure to chill the dough thoroughly; this helps achieve a flaky texture.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes