Nazook is a flaky, crisp, buttery, sweet, but not too sweet, Armenian pastry. It looks like the filling is soft and oozing out of the pastry, but the filling is crumbly. A delicious contrast to the light, flaky layers of pastry.
Earlier this year I posted a Citrus Cranberry Nazook recipe. I took the Nazook to a party of food bloggers and everyone loved it. So when I asked if I could bring something to a luncheon my dear friend was having after her son’s mission farewell, and she said yes because she knew I would “bring something special”, this Nazook came to mind.
I also thought it would be a great addition to my 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats posts. I changed it up with cinnamon and raisins so it’s perfect for the holiday season. It tastes a little bit similar to Rugelach. The dough is easy to roll out, and other than a long wait in the fridge, comes together easily.
Citrus Cranberry Nazook, an Armenian Pastry
Ingredients
Pastry dough
- 2 ½ - 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup 2 sticks softened butter (room temperature)
Cinnamon Sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
Filling
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ¾ cup softened butter room temperature
- 1 cup dried cranberries Craisins or raisins, optional
Egg Wash
- 1-2 egg yolks for the wash; alternatively, some yogurt, egg whites, or a whole egg
Instructions
Pastry Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine 2 ½ cups flour, yeast and salt. Mix in sour cream and softened butter to form a soft dough.
- Switch to the dough hook and mix in the remaining flour a little at a time, to make a soft dough that’s not sticky to the touch, adding more or less flour as needed.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 3-5 hours, or overnight.
Cinnamon Sugar
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, mix well.
Filling
- Mix flour, 1 ½ cups cinnamon sugar and softened butter in a medium bowl. (Reserve some cinnamon sugar to use later.) Mix the filling until it looks like clumpy, damp sand. Set aside.
Nazook
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the refrigerated dough into four equal pieces.
- On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. The dough should be thin, but not transparent.
- Spread ¼ of the filling mixture across the rolled-out dough in an even layer. Spread the filling to the edges on the short sides, keeping 1 inch of pastry dough uncovered along the long edges. Sprinkle cranberries (raisins) evenly over the top, if using.
- Start at the long edge and slowly rolling the dough in to a log. Making sure the filling stays evenly distributed. Roll all the way across until you have a long, thin loaf.
- Pat down the loaf with your palm and fingers so that it flattens out a bit (just a bit). Apply egg wash with a pastry brush. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar.
- Use your crinkle cutter (or serrated knife) to cut the loaf into 8 equally-sized pieces. Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper).
- Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool complete.
Today’s post is part of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Brenda, Meal Planning Magic. Be sure and check out all of the fabulous treats the other 12 weeks of Christmas Treats bakers baked up for this week.
Christina
I wondered if you could adapt this dough to using a sourdough starter instead of yeast?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Christina – I haven’t tried it with sourdough starter. Here’s a guide to help you if you decide to give it a try https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/10/29/adding-sourdough-recipe
Karla Fudge
I am interested in the Cinnamon Raisin Nazook recipe but the Citrus Cranberry Nazook is posted in error. Please update for us. Thanks so much.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Karla – sorry about the confusion. I don’t know how the recipes got mixed up. The Cinnamon Raisin Nazook is now listed. Enjoy!
tanya1234
luv it thankxxxxxxx
Jenni
Barbara! These look so fantastic! I am definitely going to add these to my Christmas Baking list! 🙂
Susan
What a delicious addition to a holiday cookie tray these would be! These lovely little pastries looked like they’d be great with a cup of coffee or tea.
sandie
Love that you went back and revisited the nazook recipe. Reminds me how good they were!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen
This is my kind of pastry! I like the idea of adding yeast to a cream cheese dough, and the filling is wonderful. Definitely what I would take to a friend´s house too!
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction
I’ve never heard of nazook before but they look delicious. They do look like rugelach.
kristy
I have bookmarked this on your previous attempt and have yet try this out. I’ll definitely make this soon. Thanks so much for the reminder. Yours looks amazing scrumptious.
Kristy
Barbara
Yes, it does resemble rugelach, Barbara. Mine has cream cheese in the pastry…but sour cream would be similar. A great treat and the name is unfamiliar to me.
Cooking on a Dime
These are definitely something special! Yum.
Rosa
What a great treat! Those nazook must be quite addictive.
Cheers,
Rosa
Deborah
I remember the citrus cranberry version, and I know I would love this version as well!!
Shelby
The photo is beautiful! It looks very easy to do and I’m saving this one for our work cookie exchange!