Rugelach is a delicious Jewish pastry. The name means creeping vine because of the rolled-up shape of the cookie. I would often see these crescent shaped cookies at the store, but when Chaya, Sweet and Savory Says It All, posted a request for Chanukah recipes I thought it was the perfect time to try these beautiful flaky little Jewish treats.
Megan, Megan’s Cookin’, suggested I use Dorie’s rugelach recipe, Dorie Greenspan’s Rugelach Secrets. Trish, The Mad Chemist, posted a Cranberry Raisin Rugelach recipe that sounded fabulous. So I combined the two recipes and made a delicious Orange Cranberry Raisin Rugelach for my 12th cookie of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup orange marmalade
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped golden raisins and dried cranberries
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably coarse sugar
Directions
- TO MAKE THE DOUGH: Let the cream cheese and butter rest on the counter for 10 minutes — you want them to be slightly softened but still cool.
- Combine flour and salt, cut butter and cream cheese into flour with a pastry blender or two knives until crumbly.
- Shape into two disks, wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. (Wrapped airtight, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
- Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (Silicone baking mats are great for rugelach.)
- TO SHAPE THE COOKIES: Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, either leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Stir marmalade until it liquefies. Spread a thin layer of jam over the dough, and scatter half of the nuts and fruits on top. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.
- Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges, or triangles. (The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough into quarters, then to cut each quarter into 4 triangles.) Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each cookie becomes a little crescent. Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate. Repeat with the second packet of dough, and refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking. (The cookies can be covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don't defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)
- GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- TO GLAZE: Stir the egg and water together, and brush a bit of this glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with the sugar.
- Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.
Notes
STORING: The cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months.
My cookie boxes were a big hit this year! It was so fun to have so many new and different flavors to try. If you missed any of the wonderful recipes I’ve linked to them below. Wishing you all happy holidays and a sweet new year!
- Molasses Cinnamon Crisps with Cinnamon Chips
- Alice’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Nutella Pinwheel Cookies
- Lime Meltaways
- Cranberry Crumb Bars
- Pecan Squares
- World Peace Cookies
- Cherie’s Snickers Peanut Butter Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
- Bitterkoekjes – Almond Macaroons
- Orange Cranberry Rugelach
For more delicious 12 weeks of Christmas cookies visit:
Megan from Megan’s Cookin
April from Abbys Sweets
Denise from Keeper Worthy Recipes
Megan’s from My Baking Adventures
Kim from Stirring the Pot
Some of the links in my posts may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Barbara Bakes when you shop!
I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
These look yummy!! Thanks for baking with me! I had so much fun, just waiting to see what everyone would bake up next!
What a wonderful gift box! Every cookie you did looked so tasty and I've made three of them and they were all wonderful. Enjoy your holiday!
Lovely pastry…lov the filling,yummm
I love this pastry. We buy these from the store sometimes. I've been wanting to learn to make them for a while. Thanks for the recipe : )
The cookie boxes are loaded with amazing treats – what a wonderful gift.
I think the rugelach look rich and delicious.
Well these look mighty fine my dear =D. I love the flavours!
Oh I loved Dorie's rugelach, it was so good! And cranberry and orange together and awesome!
I've never made these, but I must say, they look delectable! Your cookie gift boxes look fabulous too! Merry Christmas!
These look fantastic, Barbara! I'm have to try these; the dough sounds wonderful by it's self, but with the fruit filling they sound perfect!
Oh Barbara….how wonderful! These certainly look super delicious and I love how you combined the recipes. Yes, the dough itself is simply wonderful and I agree with Lynda. I love your boxes…someone is going to be a very fortunate recipient of those cookies! Thanks for the acknowledgement but yours look 100 x better than mine turned out….beautiful!
I have made Dorie's recipe and LOVED it. It was the first time I ever made this type of cookie also. I love your combination!
mmmmnnn! These look wonderful! So many cookies, so little time to make them!
I've never eaten these, they look delicious. Are they like Danish pastries?
Your rugelach are beautiful!!! I love the flavors you chose.
Cute cookie boxes!!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful and I'm wagering they taste as good as they look.
I wish I had more time….soo many fabulous cookies and treats.
Your boxes are just packed with goodness and care. Your recipients are going to be delighted!
Those look great and I have all the ingredients!!
These look delicious. I love orange and cranberry together.
Barbara,
What great flavors for rugelach they look melt in your mouth delicious. My mother had a Jewish patient who always brought her rugelach during the holiday season. They were such a treat,we saved them for a special meal and literally rationed them out.
Your cookie boxes look so festive I wish one was sitting in my kitchen!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Mimi
Your cookie boxes are beautiful, Barbara. Some very lucky people will be receiving them.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Yumm! Any pastry including cream cheese automatically gets a thumbs up from me! So jealous of your baking skills!
Your 12 cookies are fabulous! These are such a beautiful cookie I wish I could eat them!
What a lovely box full of cookies! These rugelach sound scrumptious!
I can't believe this is week 12 and that Christmas is only 6 days away. You've made some wonderful cookies this year and I love your boxed cookies. So pretty!
What a lovely combination for the rugelach!!
Wow che biscotti meravigliosi, io sono una golosona e ne prendo. Buona serata Daniela.
I've never made these! I need to!
What a delicious combination! I would love to try making this.
Your cookie box recipients were so lucky! I don't think I've ever tried rugelach before but it looks great (especially since it contains cream cheese).
They look wonderful, I love the flavours!
Ooooooooh, these look soooooo good, I am totally drooling over these. Please put me on your list of cookie box recipients!
*kisses* HH
Your Christmas cookie selection is the best collection I've ever seen. Wow! They all look delicious!!
These are such pretty cookies! I love their fun rolled-up shape. The pastry sounds delicious with the cream cheese in the dough!
What a coincidence, I just made the rugelach pastry and now is still chilling in my fridge. Your orange cranberry filling is inspiring.
You did it, Barbara and they are beautiful. I must admit, I think it is adorable to see rugelach as a Christmas cookie. I also think you are adorable in your Santa hat.
Your gift boxes are perfect, in look, and "attitude". They say they come with love.
All in all, you did a fantastic job across the board. The captain of your cheering squad.
What wonderful cookie boxes! I deliver my cookie baskets on Christmas Eve so I've got a few days to get everything together.
Barbara,
I love Rugelach. Your combination of flavors sound so good. I made the Lime Meltaways you posted and they are fantastic. They are making an appearance in my cookie tins and I need to make another batch for more family.
By the way, where did you get those cookies boxes? It's a little late this year but I would love to do that next year. What a nice way to present your cookies.
What delicious little sugared treat
I have yet to make rugelach but I have been wanting to try them for awhile now. Delicious!
The cookie boxes look amazing! I love rugelash. Wonderful flavor pairing!
Happy Holiday, Barbara!
These look really interesting. Would love to try them. Great work, making the 12 different types of cookies – I needed a few more cookie recipe…
Those look so flaky and delicious! Yummm! So impressed by your baking!
All your Christmas cookies look wonderful. I love the box idea. I usually do trays, but hard to wrap etc. The Rugelach is on my list to try so thank you for sharing!!
The cookie boxes look amazing! I love rugelash. Wonderful flavor pairing!
Work from home India
These look and sound wonderful! I still need to dive in and make some.
Oh so pretty!!! And they look like they'd taste good too.