This brown sugar cinnamon rugelach is a melt in your mouth cookie that is lightly spiced with holiday flavors. The perfect cookie for your holiday season.
Rugelach.
Pronounced “Rugala”
Learn it well because once you have made and shared this cookie, everyone will be asking it’s name.
Time and time again.
I made these for my Christmas potluck at work and I bet I said “Rugelach” at least 100 times.
Jump to:
- What is rugelach?
- Common rugelach fillings:
- Tips for making the perfect brown sugar cinnamon rugelach
- How to make brown sugar cinnamon rugelach
- Make the rugelach dough in a food processor
- Form and chill the dough
- Roll the dough out and make the filling
- How to form the brown sugar cinnamon rugelach dough into a crescent
- Bake
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rugelach Recipe
What is rugelach?
Rugelach is a cookie made with a tender cream cheese dough that is topped with a filling and then rolled into a tiny crescent shape. It originates back to the Jewish Polish communities, Hungary, and Austria. Today, it continues to be very popular in Isreal as well as in America around the holidays.
Common rugelach fillings:
- honey and walnuts
- nutella
- jam
- chocolate
- raisins
- dried fruit
- nuts
- cinnamon and brown sugar
The version we are making today is a little less traditional but it is my personal favorite:
Cinnamon and brown sugar with a hint of nutmeg and ginger.
Tips for making the perfect brown sugar cinnamon rugelach
Honestly, the cream cheese dough for this recipe is extremely forgiving and almost fool proof. There are just a few things you can do to ensure the best rugelach.
- Make sure the dough remains cold at all times. If the dough gets too warm at any point in the process then just throw it into the refrigerator to cool for a few minutes.
- Avoid overworking the dough. This is a rule with any pastry dough. Over handling the dough can cause it to loose it’s tenderness.
How to make brown sugar cinnamon rugelach
There are several steps involved in making rugelach, none of which are complicated.
- Make the rugelach dough in a food processor.
- Form and chill the dough.
- Roll the dough out and make the filling.
- Form the brown sugar cinnamon rugelach dough into a crescent.
- Bake.
See below for detailed step by step instruction.
Make the rugelach dough in a food processor
Combine the flour and salt in a large food processor. Pulse 3-4 times to combine. Add the COLD and cubed butter and cream cheese.
Pulse until the mixture is crumbly with large chunks of butter/cream cheese. See the big chunks? That’s a good thing.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla and then process until the dough comes together on one side of the food processor.
Form and chill the dough
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead a few times to form a smooth dough. Form the dough into one large ball and cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each of the four pieces of dough into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Roll the dough out and make the filling
After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar on a clean, cool work surface. Remove one dough disc from the refrigerator, unwrap from the plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 3 minutes to soften slightly. Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Set aside. Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle. Don’t worry if the edges are uneven.
Spread ¼ cup of the sugar mixture over the top of the dough.
Use a pizza cutter to cut 16 slices (or 8 for a bigger cookie). Don’t worry if they are not exactly the same size.
How to form the brown sugar cinnamon rugelach dough into a crescent
Roll each slice into the shape of a crescent. Do this by starting at the widest part of the dough slide and begin tightly rolling the dough toward the pointed end of the dough.
Place seam side down on a parchment paper lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake
Bake at 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes, or until they start to turn a golden brown.
Enjoy!
If you just love Christmas cookies then check out these Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rugelach Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Dough:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks butter cold and cubed
- 8 oz cream cheese.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
Filling:
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg.
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar for working surface and rolling pin
Instructions
Make the cream cheese dough:
- Combine the flour and salt in a large food processor.
- Pulse 3-4 times to combine.
- Add the cold and cubed butter and cream cheese.
- Pulse until the mixture is crumbly with large chunks of butter/cream cheese, about 12 pulses.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
- Process until dough comes together on one side of the food processor.
- Turn out onto a cutting board.
- Form into one large ball and then cut into 4 equal pieces.
- Form each individual piece into a ball, press down to form a disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Make the filling:
- In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
Assemble the rugelach:
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for about 3 minutes to soften slightly (you may want to remove each disc one at a time so the dough will remain cold).
- Add one tablespoon of powdered sugar to a clean work surface and spread into a thin layer.
- Lightly dust a rolling pin with powdered sugar.
- Roll out one of the discs into a 12 inch circle using powdered sugar on the working surface and on the rolling pin to keep from sticking.
- Spread about ¼ of the sugar mixture all over the top of the dough.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut 16 slices (pizza style) for smaller cookies or 8 slices for larger cookies.
- Roll up each slice into a crescent and place, seam side down, on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes or until the top is a golden brown.
- Repeat with the other 3 dough sections.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I’ve never had rugelach but it is very similar to a treat we massage using leftover pie crust. I love the combination of brown sugar and cinnamon!
Melinda says
What a great way to use left over pie crust!
Sue says
Oh these look irresistible!
Melinda says
Thank you!
Alyssa Hixenbaugh says
I used to make Rugelach with my sisters every year at Christmas time! This recipe is so similar and looks fantastic!
Melinda says
Yay! What a great memory to have. I just discovered rugelach a few years ago and it has already become one of my favorite holiday traditions.
Casey the College Celiac says
These sound absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! Love all the filling options!
Melinda says
Thank you!!!
Gabriela Herrera says
I love this dessert. I haven’t had it in a while. Do you think I would be able to use Just Egg to replace the yolk so I could veganize it. Thank you so much what a wonderful treat.
Melinda says
Gabriela, that is a great question. I have never used Just Egg so I’m not certain. The amount is so small (just one egg yolk) that I believe the deference would be minimal. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a shot!
Emily Flint says
Oh boy, this rugelach looks so good and I love that it has cream cheese in it Yum!
Melinda says
Thank you! The cream cheese makes the dough super tender. Everything is better with cream cheese!
Jessie says
Beautiful recipe! Rugelach is one of my favorite cookies and I used to make it for Hanukkah with my mum, all the time when I was little. Now, with kids of my own, we make the same filling as you for the adults, and the kids always choose Nutella for theirs! Happy Holidays!
Melinda says
Thank you! Nutella…best creation ever. My kids love it as well!!!