This easy-to-make Orange Cranberry Rugelach is a crisp, flaky pastry spread with orange marmalade, tart dried cranberries and chopped toasted pecans, then rolled up in a pretty crescent shape.
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.
My family thought it was especially festive served with a classic Wassail drink!
Update: I recently attended a fun blogger get together and brought this Orange Cranberry Rugelach so I could update the post with new pictures. It was a big hit at the party, and I’m sure it would be a big hit at your party too.
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Orange Cranberry Rugelach
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
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup orange marmalade
- ¼ cup chopped pecans finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped golden raisins and dried cranberries
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 2 tablespoons sugar preferably coarse sugar
Instructions
- Let the cream cheese and butter rest on the counter for 10 minutes, so it's 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.
- SHAPE THE COOKIES: If the dough is too firm to roll easily, leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
- Stir marmalade until it liquefies. Spread a thin layer of marmalad 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 disk 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.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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 until they are puffed and golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.
Notes
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My cookie boxes were a big hit! 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:
April from Abbys Sweets
Denise from Keeper Worthy Recipes
Megan’s from My Baking Adventures
Kim from Stirring the Pot
Nicole
Yumm! Any pastry including cream cheese automatically gets a thumbs up from me! So jealous of your baking skills!
Cathy
Your cookie boxes are beautiful, Barbara. Some very lucky people will be receiving them.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Mimi
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
Jessica
These look delicious. I love orange and cranberry together.
Bethie
Those look great and I have all the ingredients!!
Katy ~
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!
Memória
Your rugelach are beautiful!!! I love the flavors you chose.
Cute cookie boxes!!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
I've never eaten these, they look delicious. Are they like Danish pastries?
Lisa
mmmmnnn! These look wonderful! So many cookies, so little time to make them!
HoneyB
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!
Trish
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!
Lynda
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!
Sue Sparks
I've never made these, but I must say, they look delectable! Your cookie gift boxes look fabulous too! Merry Christmas!
Amanda
Oh I loved Dorie's rugelach, it was so good! And cranberry and orange together and awesome!
Lauren
Well these look mighty fine my dear =D. I love the flavours!
Pam
The cookie boxes are loaded with amazing treats – what a wonderful gift.
I think the rugelach look rich and delicious.
Sasha
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 : )
Vrinda
Lovely pastry…lov the filling,yummm
Cristie
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!
April
These look yummy!! Thanks for baking with me! I had so much fun, just waiting to see what everyone would bake up next!