Rugelachs – A Labor of Love

As mothers, there are things we do for our children because, well – we love them and it makes them happy. Rugelachs for example. I HATE making these cookies. It has to do with having to put them in and out of the fridge so much – that is the part I find so annoying.

Yet – I continue to make them at least once a year. Why you ask? Because they are one of child#2’s favorite cookies … EVER. So, since we had a baby shower for her new little one, I will suffer through the nine kajillion chillings of the dough to make her beautiful mouth smile, and that little pepper of a granddaughter do flips in her belly …

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.

Add the flour and mix well.

Divide the dough into 3 portions.

Flatten out, wrap in wax paper, and place in the fridge for at least one hour (…and so the chillings begin….).

Remove one portion of the dough to work with at a time (ONLY one – this dough LOVES to chill!). Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch think and about 14 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot filling out on the dough, and sprinkle with the chocolate. Cut the dough like you would a pizza into eight triangles.

Roll each triangle from the wide end to the point, tucking the point under and turning the corners to create a slight crescent shape. Sprinkle them with sugar.

Place the prepared cookies on the cookie sheet and return it to the fridge (here we go again…). Repeat the process with the other two portions of dough.

When all the cookies are formed and have chilled at least 20 minutes, take the cookie sheets from the fridge and place them in a preheated oven until the bottoms are lightly golden (about 20-25 minutes).

Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them to the cooling racks.

Print

Rugelach

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fruit filling (apricot preferred)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (mini)

Instructions

1. Blend together butter and cream cheese. Blend well.

2. Add flour and mix until well combined

3. Divide dough into three parts. Place each part on wax paper. Flatten into a 6 inch round and wrap in wax paper. Place in the fridge for at least one hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put parchment paper on baking sheets.

5. Only remove one portion of dough from the fridge at a time! Roll dough until about 1/8 inch thick and 14 inches diameter. Spread a thin layer of jam on the circle, and sprinkle with the chocolate.

6. cut the dough like you would a pizza, making 8 triangles. Roll up from the widest side to the point, tucking the point under and slightly bending the ends to form a slight crescent. 

7. Place rolled cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge and repeat with the remaining two dough sections.

8. Bake until the bottoms are golden, about 20 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes until they are firm before moving them to the cooling rack.