How to Make Rugelach

Rugelach
Elaine Lemm
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    How to Make Rugelach

    Rugelach Recipe
    Elaine Lemm

    Making rugelach at home is easier than you think. It does take time since the dough needs to be refrigerated, then rolled out, but the resulting pastry is well worth the investment in time. Follow these step-by-step instructions with photos to learn how to make traditional Jewish rugelach cookies. For the dough, you'll need:

    • 7 ounces/200 g butter
    • 8 ounces/250 g cream cheese
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 cups flour
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    Make Cream Cheese Dough

    In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the flour and mix lightly. 

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    Chill the Dough

    Divide the Dough
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     Refrigerate the dough for an hour or more. Divide the chilled dough into four balls.

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    Roll Dough into a Circle

    Roll the Rugelach Dough
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    On a floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll one ball of dough out into a circle until about 1/8-inch thick.

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    Spread or Sprinkle the Filling

    Sprinkle on Filling
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    Whatever filling you use—whether it's chocolate or apricot—spread it onto the center of the circle.

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    Cut into Wedges

    Cut into Wedges
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    Cut the pastry into pie-shaped wedges. A pizza cutter makes it easier to cut the dough into wedges, but a knife can be used too. For uniform bite-sized rugelach, the thick end of the wedge should about an 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide. If you use too much filling, it will fall out when you roll up the dough and result in messy-looking cookies.

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    Roll Up the Wedges

    Roll into Cookies
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    Start at the wide edge of the wedge and roll the dough up toward the point.

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  • 08 of 10

    Place Cookies on Baking Sheet

    Place Cookies on a Baking Sheet
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    Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place each pastry seam side down on the paper. If you don't want to use parchment paper, you can spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. If you want to freeze the cookies and bake them later, put the cookies on the parchment paper into the freezer.

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    Glaze the Rugelach

    Glaze the Rugelach
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    Brush each pastry with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

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    Bake the Rugelach

    Rugelach
    Elaine Lemm

    Bake at 350 F/180 C for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.