Cinnamon Rugelach Cookies - Unpeeled Journal

This traditional cinnamon rugelach recipe makes a batch of tender, flaky rolled cookies with a sweet raisin-walnut-cinnamon filling. Cream cheese dough gives the cookies a tender, flaky texture, and pastry chef techniques ensure a smooth filling and easy, slice-and-bake spirals. These are an instant family classic, adapted from Tracy Zabar's outstanding One Sweet Cookie cookbook.

Prep Time25

Cook Time25

Total Chilling Time2

Servings: 24 rugelach

Calories: 219kcal

Essential Equipment

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1 standard, 12-inch ruler
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1 food processor
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1 pastry brush

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese Rugelach Dough

▢ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 8 ounces (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
▢ 8 ounces (1 block) cream cheese, cut into pieces (I use Philadelphia brand)
▢ 2 egg yolks

For the Cinnamon Rugelach Filling + to Finish

▢ 12 ounces golden raisins
▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar
▢ 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
▢ 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
▢ 1 whisked egg yolk, for egg wash
▢ Demerara or cinnamon sugar, for topping

Instructions

For the Cream Cheese Rugelach Dough

Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor until mixed. (You can use a whisk and large mixing bowl.) Add the cubed butter, cream cheese, and egg yolks. Pulse in the food processor until the dough comes together as a crumbly dough.
Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly-floured surface. Gently knead the dough a few times to bring it together. Divide into thirds.
Shape each dough into a thick, flattened rectangle. You can use your palm, but I prefer a rolling pin. Wrap and chill for at least one hour. Repeat with the remaining dough.

For the Cinnamon Rugelach Filling

While the rugelach dough rectangles chill, make the filling. Put the raisins, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small pot. Cover with just enough water to submerge the raisins.
Bring the raisin mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has fully evaporated and the raisins are plump and soft. You should see a thickened syrup at the bottom of the pot. Don't cook beyond this, or you risk burning the raisins.
Transfer the raisin mixture to the bowl of a food processor, leaving behind the syrupy liquid. Blend until the mixture forms a thick spread. Add the nuts and blend again to combine.

To Finish

Lightly dust the countertop and your dough with flour. Roll the first dough into a neat rectangle slightly less than 1/4" thick. The wide sides should be your top and bottom. Rolling cream cheese rugelach dough thin ensures delicate spirals.
PRO TIP: I always keep a clean 12" ruler in my kitchen tools. In addition to taking measurements, it also acts as a useful straightedge for scraping a countertop, or cutting pastry against.
Spoon a third of the raisin nut filling all over the surface of the rugelach dough.
PRO TIP: I like to use my indispensable small offset spatula to spread the filling, but the back of a spoon will work, too.
Starting from the top of the dough and working toward you, roll the dough tightly to make a spiral log. Transfer the log, seam side down, onto a baking sheet. Cover and chill. Repeat with the remaining rugelach dough and filling. Chill for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Brush the top and sides of each log with the egg yolk, and sprinkle generously with your choice of demerara, sparkling, or cinnamon sugar.
Using a sharp knife, trim the shaggy ends from each log. Slice the rugelach into 1 1/4" wide pieces. Place each raw cinnamon rugelach cookie on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, seam down, each spaced about 1" apart.
PRO TIP: Make sure you wipe your knife clean as necessary as you cut to give the rugelach clean edges.
Bake, rotating half way, for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool fully before serving. The rugelach will keep in an airtight container for about 5 days, and freeze well.

Notes

Cinnamon rugelach are one of my all-time favorite recipes. They are more labor intensive than, say, drop cookies, and have to chill twice to ensure the best shape, but are well worth it for the tender, flaky dough spiraled with sweet cinnamon, raisin, and nut filling.

Storage and Freezing

These cinnamon raisin rugelach cookies freeze beautifully. Rugelach will keep in an airtight, room-temperature container for about a week. You can also wrap and freeze the raw dough logs for up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge, then slice and bake when you're ready!

Flavor Variations and Substitutions

The nuts: Pecans and walnuts can be used interchangeably
The fruit: Purple raisins, currants, or dried cranberries can be substituted for golden raisins.

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.