Flaky Cream Cheese Rugelach
Beautiful, bakery-quality rolled pastries featuring a foolproof cream cheese dough filled with sweet jam, cinnamon, and crunchy walnuts. Perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Apricot or raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Finely chopped walnuts
- 1 large Egg beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth.
- Add the all-purpose flour and salt. Pulse just until the mixture forms a cohesive dough (do not overmix).
- Turn the dough out, gather it together, and divide it evenly into 4 portions. Form each portion into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and chopped walnuts.
- On a well-floured surface, roll one chilled dough disc into a 9-inch circle.
- Spread a very thin layer of jam over the dough, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle evenly with one-quarter of the cinnamon-sugar walnut mixture.
- Using a pizza cutter, slice the circle into 8 equal triangles.
- Starting from the wide outer edge, roll each triangle up tightly toward the inner point to form a crescent.
- Place the cookies point-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with the beaten egg wash.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, flaky, and golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Keep it cold: Only work with one disc of dough at a time. Leave the others in the fridge so the dough stays cold and flaky. Tuck the point: Always place the cookies on the baking sheet with the pointed end tucked underneath so they don't unroll while baking. Make Ahead: The dough discs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before rolling and baking. Freezing: You can freeze unbaked rugelach on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
