Best Cherry Rugelach Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHIP, CHERRY AND WALNUT RUGELACH

Steps:

• For dough:
• Blend first 3 ingredients in processor. Add butter and cream cheese and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• For filling:
• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 9-inch round. Spread 3 tablespoons cherry preserves over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dried cherries, then 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons walnuts. Press filling firmly to adhere to dough.
• Cut dough round into 8 equal wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly. Arrange cookies, tip side down, on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart and bending slightly to form crescents. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough disks, preserves, dried cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar and walnuts. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush cookies lightly with whipping cream. Bake frozen cookies until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.)

CHERRY RUGELACH WITH CARDAMOM SUGAR

Steps:

• Make the dough: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Beat in sugar and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour and salt until just incorporated.
• Scrape dough onto plastic wrap and form a ball. Divide dough into 4 portions and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Make the filling: Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cardamom, the cinnamon, walnuts (if using) and dried cherries in a medium bowl. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.
• Roll out and form the rugelach: Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners, or slightly grease the pans with nonstick cooking spray. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, or until malleable enough to roll out.
• On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough portion, one at a time, into a 9-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Rotate dough while rolling to ensure it does not stick to work surface.
• Using the back of a spoon, evenly spread 2 tablespoons cherry jam onto the rolled-out dough. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup the dried cherry-walnut filling over the jam, and, using your hands, press the filling firmly and evenly over the dough.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the dough circle, like pieces of a pie, into 12 triangles. With an offset spatula or thin knife, loosen the triangles from the work surface. Starting at the wide end of the triangle and working to the narrow tip, roll up each piece and bend the ends around to form a slight crescent shape.
• Place rugelach, narrow tip tucked beneath, on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each. Refrigerate, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours) to help them keep their shape on the oven. Clean work surface before rolling out the next batch of dough.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cardamom. Brush rugelach with milk and sprinkle cardamom sugar on top.
• Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through for even baking. Transfer sheets to wire rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CHIP, CHERRY AND WALNUT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Dough:.
• Blend first 3 ingredients in processor. Add butter and cream cheese and cut in using on/off turns until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.).
• Filling:.
• Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 9-inch round. Spread 3 tablespoons cherry preserves over dough, leaving 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dried cherries, then 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 2 tablespoons walnuts. Press filling firmly to adhere to dough.
• Cut dough round into 8 equal wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly. Arrange cookies, tip side down, on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart and bending slightly to form crescents. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough disks, preserves, dried cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar and walnuts. Place baking sheet in freezer 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F Brush cookies lightly with whipping cream. Bake frozen cookies until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.).

CHERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• Pulse the cream cheese, granulated sugar, both extracts and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth. Add the flour and butter; pulse until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Divide the dough into 3 pieces; pat into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour.
• Make the filling: Put the dried cherries and 1/4 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and pierce with a knife. Microwave 5 minutes, then uncover and let cool. Transfer to the food processor; add the jam, cinnamon, allspice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse to make a paste.
• Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature. Roll out each piece between floured parchment into a 9-inch round; transfer to the freezer while you roll out the next one.
• Spread 1/2 cup filling on each dough round in a ring, leaving a 1/2-inch border and a 2-inch circle in the center. Using a sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge toward the point. Arrange 2 inches apart on the baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Brush the rugelach with the milk and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until golden, 30 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

WALNUT AND DRIED CHERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• Combine dough ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth dough forms.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces, forming each piece into a 5-inch disk.
• Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat overn to 375°F.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out piece of dough into an 8-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick.
• Spread 2 Tbsp of jam onto each circle.
• Sprinkle each circle with 1/4 of walnuts and 1/4 of cherries.
• Cut each circle into 8 wedges using a sharp knife or pastry wheel.
• Starting with the outside edge, roll each wedge, enclosing the filling.
• Place point side down onto greased cookie sheet.
• Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto each pastry.
• Bake until golden brown, approximately 35 minutes.
• Let pastries rest approximately 10 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

SOUR CHERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, chopped cherries, walnuts, butter, cinnamon and allspice to make the filling. 2. Unwrap one of the dough disks onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 8-inch square. Spread one-eighth of the filling (about one-fourth cup) onto the center of the dough with the back of a spoon, leaving about a one-half-inch border on the top and bottom of the dough. 3. Starting at the top, carefully roll the square into a tight roll like a jelly roll. Using a sharp knife, slice the roll crosswise into three-fourths-inch pieces, discarding the ends. 4. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining dough disks. Brush each cookie with beaten egg, then sprinkle with the sanding sugar. 5. Bake until rugelach are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Each of 5 dozen cookies: 101 calories; 1 gram protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 18 mg cholesterol; 5 grams sugar; 58 mg sodium.

SOUR CHERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• To make the Dough: Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Add sugar and beat till fluffy. Mix in flour and salt. Gather dough into ball, gently knead until smooth and flour is incorporated.
• Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten into discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. To make the Filling: Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Unwrap a disc of dough and roll into an 8" x 8" square on a lightly floured surface. Spread 1/8 of the filling (about 1/4 cup) onto center of dough with back of a spoon., leaving about 1/2-inch border on top and bottom.
• Starting at top, carefully roll squares into a tight roll. Using a sharp knife slice roll into 3/4-inch slices, discarding the ends.
• Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and repeat with remaining discs of dough. Brush each cookie with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes or until rugelach is golden. Cool on wire racks.
• NOTE: The cherries and walnuts are both easily chopped, speparately, in the food processor.