Classic rugelach are made with a rich cream cheese dough and filled with jammy centers, then rolled in a cinnamon, sugar and nut coating before baking into tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. These apricot and strawberry rugelach are ideal for holiday baking, gift tins, or any time you want a small, indulgent treat.
I didn’t try rugelach until I moved to Boca Raton, where the food scene reflects a large local Jewish community. The first time I tasted rugelach at a deli I was hooked: little bites of sweet, nutty pastry that begged for seconds. With no family recipe to borrow, I turned to Baking with Julia for guidance, adapted the method, and used apricot and strawberry preserves as the jammy filling—like the ones I’d enjoyed at the restaurant.
The cream cheese dough comes together quickly in a stand mixer and benefits from a period of chilling. I divide the dough into portions, wrap them, and refrigerate so the pastry is easier to roll. Rolling and filling require patience and a light hand, but with a few tips—generous flouring of the work surface and trimming edges with a pizza cutter—you can avoid the common frustrations.
To roll the dough, flour your surface well so the pastry doesn’t stick. Roll to about 1/4″ thickness and trim into an even rectangle. Spread your chosen preserves evenly, sprinkle on the cinnamon-sugar-nut mixture, and roll the dough into a jelly-roll cylinder. Chill the logs until very firm—overnight is ideal. When sliced and baked, the jam may leak slightly; let the cookies cool briefly on the sheet so the filling sets, then trim any messy edges. Rustic is part of the charm.
To bake the rugelach
- Remove the chilled logs from the refrigerator and slice into 1″ pieces.
- Brush each piece with egg wash and roll in the cinnamon-sugar-nut mixture so they are well coated.
- Arrange on prepared baking sheets with parchment and bake until golden and fragrant.
Space the cookies about 1–2″ apart so they bake evenly. After baking, cool a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a rack. Store fully cooled rugelach in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
I took a large tin of these to a family dinner and watched them disappear—requests for more cookies followed. If you enjoy buttery, flaky pastry with jam and crunchy nuts, these rugelach are a keeper.
Apricot and Strawberry Rugelach
These rugelach take some time and care, and your first batch might not be picture-perfect, but they are dangerously good — chewy jam pockets, tender cream cheese dough, and a crunchy cinnamon-nut coating.
INGREDIENTS
For the cream cheese dough
- 3 sticks (12 ounces) butter, at room temperature
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
For the filling and topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, divided
- 2 1/2 cups toasted walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup strawberry preserves (or your favorite preserve)
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
DIRECTIONS
For the dough
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until combined. Add the salt and sugar and beat on medium-low to medium until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add the flour in 1/2-cup increments until just combined. Do not overbeat.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Divide into 4 equal pieces and press each into a rough rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
For the cinnamon-nut mixture
- Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted nuts in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped but retain some texture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Rolling and filling
- Pulse the apricot preserves in a small food processor until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Rinse and process the strawberry preserves until smooth; transfer to a separate bowl.
- Generously flour your work surface. Work with one piece of chilled dough at a time; if the dough is very cold, let it sit 5–10 minutes to soften slightly.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle about 12 x 5 inches, re-flouring and flipping as needed to prevent sticking. Trim edges with a pizza cutter for a neat rectangle.
- Spread about 1/2 cup of jam evenly over the dough, then sprinkle 1/3–1/2 cup of the cinnamon-nut mixture on top and gently press it into the jam with your fingertips.
- Starting from the long side, roll the dough jelly-roll style into a cylinder. Wrap in plastic and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- Refrigerate the logs at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Reserve some of the cinnamon-sugar mixture for coating before baking.
To slice and bake
- Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Prepare baking sheets with double layers of parchment to prevent burning.
- Whisk the egg and milk to make an egg wash and set aside. Brush each chilled log with egg wash, then use a serrated knife to cut into 1″ slices.
- Toss each slice in the reserved cinnamon-nut mixture, pressing the coating lightly into the cookie. Place on the prepared sheets a few inches apart.
- Bake with one sheet on the top rack and one on the bottom for 10–12 minutes, then swap their positions and rotate 180 degrees. Bake another 10–12 minutes until the rugelach are golden brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet a few minutes, then transfer to a rack. Store cooled rugelach in an airtight container up to one week or freeze up to one month.
NUTRITION (approximate per cookie)
Calories: 311 kcal | Carbohydrates: 31 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 19 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Sugar: 18 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary depending on exact ingredients and quantities used.
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