Chocolate Rugelach Cookies
These chocolate rugelach cookies are rich, buttery and crumbly. Made with butter and cream cheese in the dough then rolled with melted chocolate between layers these are addictive as they are pretty.
I was introduced to rugelach cookies when I came to Israel. Buttery, not too sweet and melt in your mouth delicious. After all, they are loaded with butter. I believe these Jewish cookies originated in Poland and are called Yiddish which means ‘twist’.
There are many ways to twists these though. Today, I have rolled them similar to a croissant but you can also roll them into a long log then cut them into individual squares.
While these are rugelach cookies, there is also a rugelach roll which is also a cream cheese-based yeast dough. Similar to a sweet bread. I share the chocolate rugelach as well as rugelach chocolate rolls with you.
About these cookies
The rugelach cookie dough is similar to making a pie crust or shortcrust pastry. The dough is rich in butter and cream cheese. The texture is flaky and crumby. You can’t eat these cookies without making a mess. But, they are also very addictive.
These come in many variations from chocolate, nuts, jams, figs, dates for the sweet tooth but also with pesto, cheese, spread for the savory versions. These are perfect to make when you have guests to entertain. In fact, make one large batch of the dough and many different fillings, then watch your guests rave about them.
Today I am filling these with chocolate and nuts but you can also use Nutella or jam. The option for filling are endless and I hope to share a few of my favorites with you soon.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour – yes, plain flour is all we need for these cookies.
- Cream cheese – you want to make sure you use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat will have excess moisture so the dough will be too wet. Also, the cookies will not be crumbly
- Butter – make sure you use cold chilled butter similar to making a pie crust
- Vanilla – as always use good quality vanilla. It does make a huge difference.
- Sour cream – this helps bring everything together. If you don’t have sour cream you can use yogurt as well.
- Powdered sugar – I like to add a bit of powdered sugar after all these are cookies.
Step by step instructions
Prepare dough
- Combine vanilla, egg and sour cream – set aside
- In a food processor pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine
- Add the chilled and cubed cream cheese and butter pieces
- Pulse until you have a crumbly dough.
- Add the egg mixture through the feed with the food processor on.
- Pulse some more until the dough clumps together.
- Transfer to a clean work surface and bring it all together into a ball.
- Divide the mixture into three and foam into a disc.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and let chill until firm – about 2 hours until 2 days (or freeze for up to 3 months)
Prepare the filling
- Melt the chocolate, butter, and cream in a microwave-safe bowl at 50%power
- Pulse the nuts in the food processor until finely chopped then add them to the melted chocolate
- Let cool until spreadable consistency – I chill for 30 minutes.
- When ready to use if the chocolate is not spreadable consistency microwave for 5 to 10 seconds only.
Form the rugelach cookies
- Working with one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the disc to about 8-inches round.
- Generously spread the melted chocolate, sprinkle the nuts.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Similar to cutting a pizza or slicing a cake.
- Then, roll each wedge from the thick end towards the narrow end. Similar to rolling a croissant.
- Place each rugelach on a baking tray with the tip facing down.
- Chill the cookies for 10 minutes up to two days.
Bake the rugelach
- Preheat the oven at 180 C/ 360 F.
- Make sure the oven is well preheated.
- Then, bake the rugelach for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar (optional).
- These rugelach cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tips for making these rugelach cookies
- Ensure the butter and cream cheese is chilled well. Otherwise, you will have a very soft dough and the cookies will not be crumbly.
- Use just enough sour cream to bring the dough together.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 2 hours if not more so it is easier to roll
- If necessary, chill the rolled cookie dough between steps. (in warm conditions the dough can get soft to work with)
- Roll on a lightly floured surface. Too much flour will crack the dough too much and the cookies will have excess flour on them
- Similar to pastry, chill the cookies before baking. This will give you a lovely crumbly dough.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before you transfer to a cooling rack to prevent them from breaking.
Frequently asked questions
These cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. Longer in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Absolutely, you can make the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance. You can even freeze excess cookie dough for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight for best results.
yes, you can make the filling up to 4 days in advance. Chill in the fridge. When ready to use the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds to bring to a spreadable consistency.
The fillings for these rugelach cookies are endless. Use jams such as apricot, cherry, raspberry, figs, fruit fillings, Nutella, peanut butter, etc.
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Chocolate Rugelach Cookies
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Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 g) Cream cheese ((3/4 cup) cold cubed)
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter ((2 sticks) cold cubed)
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 2 tbsp Sour cream (or more if necessary)
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
CHOCOLATE FILLING
- 7 oz (170 g) Chocolate (melted)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp whipping cream
- 1 cup (150 g) Nuts (chopped finely (optional))
Instructions
Dough
- Combine vanilla, egg and sour cream – set aside
- In a food processor pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine
- Add the chilled and cubed cream cheese and butter pieces
- Pulse until you have a crumbly dough.
- Add the egg mixture through the feed with the food processor on.
- Pulse some more until the dough clumps together.
- Transfer to a clean work surface and bring it all together into a ball.
- Divide the mixture into three and foam into a disc.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and let chill until firm – about 2 hours until 2 days (or freeze for up to 3 months)
Filling
- Melt the chocolate, butter, and cream in a microwave-safe bowl at 50%power
- Pulse the nuts in the food processor until finely chopped then add them to the melted chocolate
- Let cool until spreadable consistency – I chill for 30 minutes.
- When ready to use if the chocolate is not spreadable consistency microwave for 5 to 10 seconds only.
Shape cookies
- Working with one disc at a time on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll the disc to about 8-inches round
- Generously spread the melted chocolate, sprinkle the nuts
- Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into 8 wedges. Similar to cutting a pizza or slicing a cake.
- Then roll each wedge from the thick end towards the narrow end. Similar to rolling a croissant.
- Place each rugelach on a baking tray with the tip facing down.
- Chill the cookies for 10 minutes up to two days.
Bake
- Preheat the oven at 180 C/ 390 F
- Make sure the oven is well preheated
- Then bake the rugelach for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Once cooled dust with powdered sugar (optional)
- These rugelach cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
I haven’t made rugelach in so long. Your version is so much better than the one I used to make. I can’t wait to try these.
Thank you, Andrea. Let me know how it was
I’m so excited to try these delicious chocolate rugelach cookies! I love how simple they are to make. This afternoon my family will be enjoying these with tea.
Thank you, Denay.Let me know how it was
Love this recipe and the idea of making them savory as well! they look so yummy will have to try making this!
Thank you, Laura
These days, anything with chocolate in it means that I am SO in!! I am drooling over the cookies here!!
I hear you, Cathleen. Thanks
Love how quick and easy these are! A perfect recipe to make whilst in quarantine with the children!
Absolutely, Tania.