Cinnamon Rugelach
Cinnamon crescent cookies filled with walnuts and apricot jam, slightly adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Parties.
Servings: 48 cookies
Calories: 108kcal
Ingredients
Rugelach Dough
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar (1.8 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
Rugelach Filling
- 6 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed (1.8 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup walnuts finely chopped
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves pureed in a food processor
Instructions
Rugelach Dough
- Cream the cheese and the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, salt and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut into quarters, roll each into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Dough can be frozen at this point)
Cinnamon Walnut Filling
- To make filling, combine 6 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and walnuts in a small bowl.
- On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press filling lightly into the dough.
- Cut circle into 12 equal wedges. Starting with wide edge, roll up each wedge.
- Place cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. Chill for 30 minutes. (Finished cookies can be frozen at this point)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Finishing the Rugelach
- Combine beaten egg and 1 Tablespoon milk to make an egg wash
- Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies.
- Brush each cookie with egg wash.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
Notes
Notes:
- read the recipe through before beginning. The entire amount of white sugar is 1/4 cup PLUS 9 Tablespoons. 6 Tablespoons are used for the filling and 3 for sprinkling on top of the cookies before baking.
- If you want to freeze the dough, flatten each ball into a disc before freezing. Wrap well. It will keep for about 3 weeks.
Defrost before rolling out - If you want to freeze the cookies BEFORE baking, place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, place them in a zip-lock bag. Defrost on a cookie sheet before baking.
- Any nut or jam can be substituted.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.4mg