Chocolate Rugelach

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A much-loved Jewish holiday treat, chocolate rugelach are miniature pastries posing as cookies.

A much-loved Jewish holiday treat, rugelach (pronounced rug-a-lah) are miniature pastries posing as cookies. They’re made by rolling a buttery, flaky dough around a sweet filling of fruit, nuts, chocolate, or pretty much anything your heart desires. Yiddish for “little twists,” rugelach can be crescent-shaped, like this classic walnut-raisin version, or rolled into logs, much like a strudel, and cut into slices before baking.

While they look like fancy bakery cookies, they are totally doable at home. The key is to think ahead: the dough needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour before rolling, and then quickly chilled again before slicing and baking.

What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Rugelach

How To Make Chocolate Rugelach

Begin by making the dough. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Pulse a few times to combine.

Add the chunks of butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk.

Process until the dough starts to come together into a well-moistened, crumbly mass, 20 to 30 seconds.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface.

Gather the crumbly dough into a ball and knead, dusting the work surface and dough lightly with flour as necessary, until it comes together into a smooth ball.

Shape the dough into a rectangle, then cut into 4 equal portions.

Flatten each piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle.

Wrap each section of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 3 days.

Next, make the filling. Place the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until almost melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a double boiler on the stovetop.)

Add the sugar and salt.

Mix well; the mixture will be grainy.

How To Roll Chocolate Rugelach

When you’re ready to roll the cookies, remove one section of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured work surface. (If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until it’s pliable enough to roll, but not too soft.) Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll it into an 8 x 11-in rectangle. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, but try to make it as even as possible around the edges; it will make it easier to roll. (Go ahead and trim slightly with a pizza cutter or sharp knife if it’s very uneven.)

Using an offset spatula or back of a spoon, quickly spread 1/4 of the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges.

Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder.

Place the filled rolled dough, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate filling. Place the rolled dough logs in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Take the rolled dough out of the refrigerator. Using a serrated knife, slice off the uneven ends of each roll and discard. Then slice the rolls into 1-in-wide pieces.

Place each slice, seam side down, on the prepared sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool the rugelach on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

How To Store and Freeze Chocolate Rugelach

Rugelach are best on the day they are made. Store any extra cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage. The unbaked sliced rugelach can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before freezing, let the sliced rugelach set on a baking sheet in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.)

To freeze after baking: Let the rugelach cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.

More Jewish Holiday Desserts You Might Like

• French Apple Cake
• Cinnamon-Raisin Rugelach
• Grandma Annie’s Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread
• Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
• Sufganiyot
• Chocolate Babka