Description
Delight in these classic Chocolate Rugelach cookies, featuring a tender, flaky cream cheese dough filled with rich, melted semi-sweet chocolate. Perfectly rolled and baked to a golden finish, these traditional Jewish pastries make an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks
- 6 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks
- 1 egg yolk
Filling Ingredients
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli, roughly chopped
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make 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, about 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Gather the crumbly dough into a ball and knead, dusting lightly with flour as necessary, until smooth. Shape into a rectangle and cut into 4 equal portions. Flatten each piece into a ½-inch thick rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Make the filling: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until almost melted. Stir to finish melting with residual heat. Alternatively, melt chocolate in a double boiler on the stovetop. Mix in the sugar and salt; the mixture may remain slightly grainy, which is normal.
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the cookies: Remove one dough portion from the refrigerator and unwrap. Place on a lightly floured surface and dust top lightly with flour. Roll into an 8 x 11-inch rectangle as evenly as possible. Trim uneven edges if needed. Spread ¼ of the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border around edges.
- Form the rolls: Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a cylinder. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Chill the rolls in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes until firm.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice and bake: Remove rolls from refrigerator. Using a serrated knife, trim uneven ends and discard. Slice rolls into 1-inch wide pieces. Place each slice seam side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Cool and serve: Let the rugelach cool on the baking sheet briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Notes
- Use cold butter and cream cheese to achieve the flaky pastry texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to make it easier to roll and to maintain shape while baking.
- The chocolate filling will appear grainy; this is normal and does not affect flavor.
- Trim uneven edges of dough rolls for uniform cookie sizes and even baking.
- Rugelach are best eaten the day they are baked but keep well when stored properly.
- Freezing baked rugelach is a great option for longer storage; thaw before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
