📝 About This Recipe
These buttery, flakey crescents are a quintessential Jewish pastry, featuring a rich cream cheese dough that melts in your mouth. Filled with a vibrant, tangy apricot preserve and a crunch of toasted walnuts, they offer a perfect balance of stone fruit sweetness and nutty depth. Each bite is a nostalgic journey, elevated by a hint of cinnamon and a sparkling sugar finish that makes them as beautiful as they are delicious.
🥗 Ingredients
The Pastry Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (cold and cut into small cubes)
- 8 ounces Full-fat cream cheese (cold and cubed)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
The Apricot Filling
- 3/4 cup High-quality apricot preserves (strained or processed until smooth)
- 1 cup Walnuts (very finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (for the cinnamon-sugar mix)
- 1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Dried apricots (minced into tiny pieces)
The Finish
- 1 large Egg (beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons Demerara or Sanding sugar (for topping)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the cold cubed butter and cream cheese.
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2
Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs and begins to clump together. Add the vanilla extract and pulse a few more times until a dough forms.
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3
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
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4
In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 cup granulated sugar with the cinnamon. Set aside. Pulse your walnuts in a processor until they are very fine but not a paste.
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5
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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6
Remove one dough disc from the fridge. On a well-floured surface, roll it out into a 9 or 10-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
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7
Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of apricot preserves thinly over the entire surface of the circle, leaving a tiny border at the edge.
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8
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, and a handful of the minced dried apricots over the preserves.
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9
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the circle into 12 equal wedges (like a pizza).
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10
Starting from the wide outer edge, roll each wedge up tightly toward the point. Place the rugelach on the prepared baking sheet with the point side tucked underneath.
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11
Repeat the process with the remaining dough discs. Space the cookies about 1 inch apart on the sheets.
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12
Brush the tops of the rolled cookies with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the sanding sugar.
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13
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown. Some jam may leak out; this is normal and creates delicious caramelized bits.
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14
Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack so they don't stick to the parchment as the jam cools.
💡 Chef's Tips
Keep the dough as cold as possible; if it gets too soft while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Use a high-fruit content apricot preserve for the best flavor and to prevent the filling from becoming too runny. Finely chopping the walnuts and dried apricots is key to ensuring the rugelach roll up tightly and stay closed. Don't overfill the dough; a thin layer of jam is better than a thick one to prevent a mess during baking. You can substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds for a different flavor profile.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a cup of strong Earl Grey tea or a dark roast coffee. Pair with a glass of chilled dessert wine like a Sauternes or late-harvest Riesling. Arrange on a platter with fresh sliced apricots and whole walnuts for a beautiful presentation. Serve alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a more decadent dessert experience. These make wonderful gifts when packed in a tin lined with parchment paper.