Rugelach - Polish Cream Cheese Cookies

These delicious cookies have been updated with cream cheese, replacing the traditional sour cream used in Eastern Europe. It makes for a flakier dough. Both the traditional raspberry filling and the rich dark chocolate versions are offered here. Rugelach freezes well, so a constant supply to eat direct from the freezer is never a bad idea. Serve them warm from the oven with whipped cream, if you're feeling extra indulgent.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Eastern European, Jewish, Poland

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 1 45

Servings: cookies

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
2 Large baking pans lined with parchment paper
Wire baking rack

Ingredients

8 oz Unsalted butter, softened
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Light brown sugar
1½ tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 cups All-purpose flour (10 ounces)
6 oz Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
¼ tsp Ground cinnamon
12 oz Raspberry jam (optional)
¼ cup Light brown sugar (optional, for raspberry filling)
1 cup Walnuts, finely chopped

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Instructions

Make Dough

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix butter, cream cheese, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and salt. Combine on medium speed, about 1 minute. Mix in vanilla and then slowly add flour until thoroughly combined. Pat dough into an 8-inch square, wrap in plastic wrap, and cool in refrigerator for about an hour.

Make Filling

To make chocolate filling, mix together chopped chocolate, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, cocoa powder and walnuts.
To make filling for raspberry filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and walnuts.

Assemble Cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F. (177°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut dough into 4 pieces, remove 1 and put rest back in the refrigerator to stay cool. Place dough piece on a floured surface and roll out into a 12 by 4-inch strip. Sprinkle ¼ chocolate mixture onto dough a press into dough to adhere.
Roll into a 12-inch log finishing with seam along bottom of the "log". Cut into 12, 1-inch slices and move them to half a baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Repeat with 3 other dough pieces, filling the first pan with 12 more and second pan with 24 cookies. Replace chocolate filling with ⅓ cup raspberry jam per log, topped by sugar mix, if desired.

Cook and Serve

Mix 2 tbsp sugar with ¼ tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle on rugelachs. Bake until they become a light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. After first 10 minutes, swap racks. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on pans, then transfer to a wire bakers' rack to cool further.

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