Rugalach are pastry cookies with buttery cinnamon sugar pecan filling. The tender cookies are brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar after baking for even more sweet, buttery flavor!
Rugelach are deliciously tender pastry cookies that are made with a variety of fillings. These cookies have a buttery, cinnamon-sugar nut filling.
The cookies are brushed with additional butter after baking, and then more cinnamon-sugar is sprinkled over the top. They’re a lovely combination of sweet and flaky pastry with just a bit of crunch and texture from both the cinnamon-sugar and nuts.
Give these cookies a try, and they are sure to become the star of your holiday celebration!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Cream cheese: I highly recommend using full-fat cream cheese in this recipe.
- Pecans: I recommend using unsalted pecans. You can also toast the pecans before using. You can omit the nuts if you prefer.
How to make rugelach
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.
Step 1: Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the flour and salt, and mix in until combined.
Step 3: Divide dough in half.
Step 4: Wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until easy to handle.
Step 5: Once chilled, roll out each dough portion between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 12-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper.
Step 6: Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.
Step 7: Brush each circle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
Step 8: Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans.
Step 9: Cut each into 12 wedges.
Step 10: Roll up each wedge from the wide end; place pointed side down 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 11: Curve ends to form a crescent shape.
Step 12: Bake at 350°F for 22-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 13: Remove to wire racks.
Step 14: Brush the cinnamon sugar rugelach with remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.
Recipe Tips!
- Room temperature ingredients: For this recipe, the refrigerated ingredients should be at room temp. This means about 70 F. However, you don’t want the butter to be warm. When the butter is smooshy and almost melting, it’s too warm.
- Cutting the dough: I like to use a pizza cutter to cut the rugelach dough because I cuts quickly and easily through the dough.
- To freeze: To freeze the dough, make the dough, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place the dough in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, let the dough thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then continue with the recipe as-written. To freeze the baked rugelach, let it cool to room temperature. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
- Variation: If you’d like to try a chocolaty version of this recipe, check out my Nutella rugelach recipe.
Storage
Rugelach can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Christmas cookie recipes!
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Rugelach
Equipment
- Mixer
- baking sheet
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter melted, divided
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix in until combined.
- Divide dough into half.
- Wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until easy to handle.
- Once chilled, roll out each dough portion between 2 sheets of waxed paper into a 12-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.
- Brush each circle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans.
- Cut each piece into 12 wedges.
- Roll up each wedge from the wide end; place pointed side down 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Curve ends to form a crescent shape.
- Bake at 350°F for 22-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove to wire racks.
- Brush with remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Cream cheese: I highly recommend using full-fat cream cheese in this recipe.
- Pecans: I recommend using unsalted pecans. You can also toast the pecans before using. You can omit the nuts if you prefer.
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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