Why does rugelach dough have to chill so long?

The dough is mostly butter and cream cheese, so it is very soft at room temperature. Two hours of chilling firms the fats, which is what lets you roll thin circles, cut clean wedges and bake up distinct flaky layers instead of spreading cookies.

Can I freeze cranberry walnut rugelach before baking?

Yes, and it is one of the best ways to make them. Freeze the shaped cookies solid on their tray, store them in a bag for up to a month, then bake from frozen at 350 degrees F with 3 to 4 extra minutes.

My rugelach unrolled in the oven. How do I stop that?

Place every cookie with the point tucked underneath, and chill the filled tray for 15 minutes before baking. Cold butter and a point sealed under the cookie's own weight keep the spiral closed.

What can I use instead of walnuts in rugelach?

Pecans are the closest swap and need no other change. For a nut free filling, use finely chopped sunflower seeds plus an extra tablespoon of brown sugar, and keep the cranberries and cinnamon exactly the same.

How long do rugelach stay fresh in a cookie tin?

About a week at room temperature in an airtight metal tin, layered with parchment. Their flavor deepens after two or three days. Keep them away from soft frosted cookies, which give up moisture and soften the crisp edges.

Cranberry Walnut Rugelach With Cream Cheese Dough

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/3 cup warm orange juice
1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/3 cup apricot preserves
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until completely smooth and fluffy. Mix in the sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt, then add the flour and stir just until a soft dough forms with no dry pockets.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, flatten each into a disk about an inch thick, wrap well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cold dough is what makes clean spirals possible.
While the dough chills, cover the dried cranberries with the warm orange juice and leave them for 20 minutes. Drain very well, pat dry on a clean towel, then chop finely.
Stir the chopped cranberries with the walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and orange zest until the mixture looks evenly speckled and smells like Christmas.
Working with one disk at a time and keeping the rest refrigerated, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 9 inches across and an eighth of an inch thick.
Spread about 4 teaspoons of apricot preserves over the circle in the thinnest possible layer, then sprinkle a quarter of the filling over it and press it down lightly with your palm.
Cut the circle into 12 wedges, like a pizza. Roll each wedge up from the wide outer edge toward the point, and place it point side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining disks. Refrigerate the filled trays for 15 minutes before baking; this short chill is what keeps the points sealed and the shapes sharp.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the rugelach with the egg wash, sprinkle generously with coarse sugar, and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden at the edges.
Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, where the sugary edges will set crisp, then move to a rack. Serve warm, or cool completely before boxing for gifts.

Author: Chef Jordan
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 105
Sugar: 5
Sodium: 45
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 4
Unsaturated Fat: 3
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 10
Fiber: 1
Protein: 1
Cholesterol: 18