Rugelach
Cream cheese, cold, chopped walnuts and golden raisins, loosely packed come together in this vegetarian — 70 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and baking sheet. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Beat the cold butter and cream cheese together until smooth, then add the flour and salt and mix just until a soft dough forms without overworking it.
- Divide the dough into four equal discs, wrap each in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight so the butter firms up.
- Stir together the sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and golden raisins in a bowl to make the filling, reserving a little of the cinnamon sugar for the tops.
- On a lightly floured surface roll one disc into a roughly 23cm circle, spread thinly with apricot jam, scatter a quarter of the filling over it and press it down gently.
- Cut the circle into 12 thin wedges like a pizza, then roll each wedge up from the wide outer edge toward the point and curve into a crescent, repeating with the remaining dough.
- Arrange the cookies point-side down on parchment-lined baking sheets, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon sugar, then chill for 20 minutes while the oven heats to 175C (350F).
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown, then cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a rack, as the jam filling is very hot straight from the oven.
You'll use: Oven · Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Rugelach take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Rugelach vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Rugelach is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Rugelach.jpg (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.