Rugelach

There’s nothing quite like a plate of freshly baked Rugelach — tender, flaky pastries filled with jam and brushed with a glossy syrup. The dough is rich but balanced, with the tang of cream cheese and brightness from lemon zest. What makes them so special is their versatility: you can use any jam or fruit butter you have on hand, from apricot to apple or raspberry. These cookies are a beautiful addition to any holiday spread, afternoon tea, or cozy baking day.

NOTE: This recipe is formatted for higher altitude. If you are cooking at sea level, double the quantity of baking powder and baking soda. 

Ingredients (makes about 36 cookies)

Dough
3 ¾ cups (480 g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
Zest of 2 lemons
1 ½ cups (375 g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 ½ cups (375 g) cream cheese, cold, cubed
2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla paste or extract

Filling
Any thick jam or fruit butter (about ¾ cup / 240 g total)

For Finishing
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Simple Syrup
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) water

Method

1. Make the Dough
   Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
   Add butter and pulse about 15 times, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
   Add cream cheese and vanilla, pulsing just until a smooth dough forms.

2. Chill the Dough
   Divide into three equal portions (about 415 g each). Flatten into disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Roll and Fill
   Working with one disk at a time, roll into a 9-inch circle. Spread evenly with jam or fruit butter.
   Cut the circle into 12 even “pizza” slices.
   Starting from the wide end, gently roll each piece up like a croissant, tucking the tail under.

4. Freeze Before Baking
   Place cookies tail-side down on a parchment-lined tray.
   Freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking (they bake best from frozen).

5. Bake
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Brush each cookie with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar.
   Bake from frozen for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

6. Finish with Syrup
   While cookies bake, make the simple syrup: combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
   Brush the warm cookies with simple syrup right out of the oven for a beautiful shine.

Storage

Keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze unbaked rugelach for up to 2 months and bake from frozen.