Rugelach is an irresistible baked treat which is both delicious and versatile. So is it a pastry or a cookie? Rugelach’s unique buttery, tender dough wrapped around any variety of tasty fillings seems to straddle the line.
Traditionally, rugelach was made with yeast dough but the pastry has evolved and is now made with cream cheese which is both quicker and easier to make. The cream cheese dough was first used by North American bakers in the 1940’s, and now forms the staple of the modern rugelach we know today.
At this time of year it is a good idea to have rugelach in your entertaining ‘tool box’. Make some up when you have the time and tuck away in the freezer. At a moments notice, flick on the oven, put them on a baking sheet and bake. Fresh pastries …. just like that!
I recall my mother making endless kinds of cookies for the Christmas season. It seems, especially in the European countries, the baking of cookies for Christmas was the barometer of domestic excellence. Baking six kinds normally would generate applause, 12 kinds was regarded with such awe that it was like announcing you had just climbed Mount Everest in high heels.
I thought I’d go for six kinds …. of course when you can use the same cookie dough for 5 or 6 different fillings I suppose that is cheating a bit!
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COOKIES
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- 454 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
- 340 gm cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour
Ingredients
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- Using a food processor, add flour & salt to bowl & pulse briefly to combine. Cut in butter & cream cheese & add along with sour cream. Pulse just until dough forms chunks. You can also make the dough by hand quite easily if a processor is not available.
- Divide the dough into six equal portions, about 250 gm each. Press each gently into a disk. Make the disks as round as possible, smoothing their edges. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap & chill the dough about 1 hour or until firm but not hard. While the dough is chilling, assemble your choices of fillings so they are ready to use.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it on a floured work surface. Roll it into a 10-inch circle. Spread with one of your filling choices all the way to the edges.
- Using a ruler or pizza cutter, divide the circle into 12 wedges. I found using the straight edge of a ruler & pressing it straight down gave me a nice clean cut.
- Roll each wedge up from the wide end to the narrow end. Place the rolls point-side down on parchment lined baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining 5 disks & fillings, placing prepared rugelach in the refrigerator until all 72 are made.
- At this point, if you wish to freeze the rugelach for later use, place them in the freezer. When the rugelach is firm, transfer to air-tight containers & label.
- If you wish to bake them (or some of them) at this time, preheat the oven to 350 F. Remove rugelach from refrigerator, brush carefully with egg wash.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven & cool right on pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Personalize your rugelach with the filling you prepare or purchase.
- I found that it worked the best if the filling is of a smooth consistency for cutting purposes. You can add a bit of texture with the toppings.
- Nothing says it can't just be cream cheese sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar.
The fillings I chose to use were:
- Saskatoon Berry w/ Lemon
- Quince & Walnuts
- Spiced Apricot & Mango w/ Pumpkin Seeds
- Cranberry Orange w/ Cream Cheese
- Apple Butter w/ Gouda & Walnuts
- Fig & Gorgonzola w/ Nuts