Chocolate Rugelach

Chocolate rugelach are light, flaky, bite-sized pastries with a chocolatey filling—what’s not to love about that? And with a touch of cinnamon and raspberry jam, the flavors in this dessert are nuanced and downright delicious. Whether you want to branch outside your comfort zone or rugelach are part of your heritage, this chocolate rugelach recipe is a fun one to execute, especially when the result is so darn tasty. Best of all, the recipe is entirely versatile. If you want to mix things up and change the filling, now’s the time to get creative.

Ingredients for Chocolate Rugelach

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• Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content and gives the dough a flaky texture.
• Cream cheese: Cream cheese makes the dough easy to work with and adds a delicious richness.
• Sour cream: Sour cream gives the dough a nice tanginess.
• Sugar: You could omit the sugar to make savory rugelach.
• All-purpose flour: Level the flour so you get an accurate measurement.
• Semisweet chocolate: This gives this particular rugelach its rich, chocolatey flavor.
• Chopped walnuts: Chopped nuts of any kind add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor.
• Dried currants: The currants add a sweet-tart flavor and some chew to the filling. Feel free to use another dried fruit, such as raisins.
• Ground cinnamon: The warm spiciness of cinnamon pairs well with the other flavors in the filling.
• Raspberry jam: Or, go with any kind of jam you have on hand.
• Egg white: When you mix water with egg white, it helps the sugar stick to the dough. Be sure to save the yolk for breakfast!
• Cinnamon sugar: Kick things up a notch with a coating of cinnamon sugar at the end.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the dough ingredients

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In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar; mix until combined. Gradually beat in the flour.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure the cream cheese and butter are cool. Take them out of the fridge just a few minutes before using.

Step 2: Divide the dough

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Divide the dough into four portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the dough is easy to handle.

Step 3: Process the filling ingredients

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chocolate, nuts, currants, cinnamon and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the jam and 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave on high until thinned, 5 to 10 seconds; whisk.

Step 4: Prepare the pastries

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Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll each into a 10-inch circle on a well-floured surface. Brush with 1/4 of the jam mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the chocolate mixture (about 1/2 cup), pressing lightly to adhere. Cut each into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges from the wide ends; place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, point side down. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and the remaining 2 teaspoons of water, then brush it over the pastries. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Step 5: Bake

Bake until golden brown (20 to 25 minutes). Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

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Chocolate Rugelach Variations

• Go savory: Omit the sweet stuff and make a savory pastry—we love adding bacon and eggs to these for breakfast.
• Mix it up: Add whatever combo of nuts, fruit and spices to the filling that your heart desires. Rugelach are fun to experiment with, so don’t be afraid to try some different fillings.

How to Store Chocolate Rugelach

Cover the rugelach and keep them on the counter if you’ll be eating them within a couple of days, or put them in an airtight container in the freezer if you’d like to save them for a later date.

How long does chocolate rugelach last?

The cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to three days. Or, keep them in the freezer for up to two months.

Chocolate Rugelach Tips

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Can you double this recipe?

You could double this recipe, as long as you treat it as two separate batches (not just combining double the ingredients).

Can you make these larger?

Yes. Roll the dough into rectangles rather than circles, and cut the dough into bigger triangles that way. (Although, we must say, the beauty of this pastry is that it’s bite-sized.)

What should you serve with chocolate rugelach?

We like serving chocolate rugelach with coffee or tea. If you’re making savory pastries for breakfast, serve them alongside other breakfast foods. You could even make rugelach filled with nuts and fruit and serve them at cocktail hour. The sky’s the limit with these versatile, delicious pastries.