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
preventionrd
Those look so flaky and delicious! Yummm! So impressed by your baking!
Anita
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…
Gabe's Girl
The cookie boxes look amazing! I love rugelash. Wonderful flavor pairing!
Happy Holiday, Barbara!
Nutmeg Nanny
What delicious little sugared treat 🙂 I have yet to make rugelach but I have been wanting to try them for awhile now. Delicious!
Jamie
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.
Michelle
What wonderful cookie boxes! I deliver my cookie baskets on Christmas Eve so I've got a few days to get everything together.
Sweet and Savory
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.
Elra
What a coincidence, I just made the rugelach pastry and now is still chilling in my fridge. Your orange cranberry filling is inspiring.
Faith
These are such pretty cookies! I love their fun rolled-up shape. The pastry sounds delicious with the cream cheese in the dough!
FabFrugalFood
Your Christmas cookie selection is the best collection I've ever seen. Wow! They all look delicious!!
Heavenly Housewife
Ooooooooh, these look soooooo good, I am totally drooling over these. Please put me on your list of cookie box recipients!
*kisses* HH
Natashya Kitchen Puppies
They look wonderful, I love the flavours!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
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). 🙂
theUngourmet
What a delicious combination! I would love to try making this.
Maria
I've never made these! I need to!
Daniela
Wow che biscotti meravigliosi, io sono una golosona e ne prendo. Buona serata Daniela.
Donna-FFW
What a lovely combination for the rugelach!!
Mags
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!
Cinnamon-Girl Reeni♥
What a lovely box full of cookies! These rugelach sound scrumptious!
Lyndsey
Your 12 cookies are fabulous! These are such a beautiful cookie I wish I could eat them!