Rugelach from Our Community Table

This month, I’ve decided to share one of my very favorite recipes with you. It is the recipe I use for rugelach. If you are not familiar with this delicious pastry, rugelach are cookies that are made from dough that is rolled into circles, cut into wedges like pizza, and rolled into crescents. The most popular fillings are chocolate and cinnamon, but fruit filings are very common as well.

There are two main types of dough used to make rugelach. One type is a cookie dough and the other is a yeast dough. Cookie dough rugelach can be made with dairy ingredients like sour cream and butter in the dough and rich fruit fillings. Or they can be made pareve with a variety of different fillings. My recipe uses a yeast dough. I know that some bakers shy away from baking with yeast. It can be tricky. But the end result will be worth every bit of the effort.

This is a large recipe. It makes a lot of rugelach. The recipe claims to make between 64-84 depending on how large or small you make them. I like them to be on the smaller side. Oftentimes I only make half a recipe, and I still end up with a lot of rugelach. There is nothing like eating these still warm from the oven. But never fear, if you have any left they do freeze well.

At the end of the recipe there are two different filling options. You can also prepare half of each and make half of your rugelach with cinnamon filling and half with chocolate. I like both options equally, but chocolate is more popular with my family. 

Deena Abraham
Community Contributor

RUGELACH – MADE FROM A YEAST DOUGH

5 tsp. dry yeast
1 c. warm water
pinch of sugar
11-12 c. flour
1 c. water
2 c. orange juice
1 ½ c. oil
1 ½ c. sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. Kosher salt
oil, for spreading
filling, see below
egg wash, see below

Combine the yeast, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Allow to proof. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, flour, water, juice, oil, sugar, and salt. 

Cover and allow to rise for an hour.  Divide into eight sections.  Roll each section, one at a time, into a circle.  Spread a thin layer of oil over each circle.  Sprinkle thin layer of filling over the oil. 

Cut each circle into wedges, roll towards the inside, turn to form a crescent, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (The number of wedges you cut will determine the size of your rugelach. Eight wedges will yield large rugelach and require the full baking time. Twelve wedges will make smaller rugelach and require a shorter baking time.)  

Brush the tops of the rugelach with the egg wash.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden, at 375 degrees. Note: smaller rugelach will require shorter baking time.

FILLING #1 – cinnamon

Combine 3 cups of sugar and 6 Tbsp. cinnamon

FILLING #2 – chocolate

Combine 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup of cocoa, and 4 Tbsp. of cinnamon

EGGWASH

Combine 1 egg, 1 ½ tsp. sugar, and 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract