Flaky Cream Cheese Rugelach With Cinnamon, Chocolate, and Jam

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: About 48 rugelach (24 servings of 2 pieces)
• Prep Time: 35 minutes active (plus 2 hours chilling)
• Cook Time: 22–25 minutes per batch
• Total Time: About 3 hours (including chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, cold
• 8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter, cold
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar + 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For fillings, per 9-inch dough circle (about 12 rugelach), choose one:
  • Cinnamon-nut: 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans, 2 tbsp finely chopped raisins (optional)
  • Chocolate: 1/3 cup finely chopped semisweet or dark chocolate or mini chips, 1 tbsp sugar (optional), pinch cinnamon (optional)
  • Jam & nut: 3 tbsp thick jam (apricot, raspberry, etc.), 2 tbsp finely chopped nuts
• 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk or cream (egg wash)
• 2–3 tbsp coarse or granulated sugar for sprinkling

Do This

• 1) Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth; mix in flour just until a soft dough forms. Divide into 4 disks, wrap, and chill at least 2 hours.
• 2) Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 3) Stir together your chosen filling ingredients for each flavor you want to make.
• 4) Roll one dough disk into a 9-inch circle. Sprinkle or spread with your filling, leaving a 1/2-inch bare border.
• 5) Cut the circle into 12 wedges. Roll each wedge from the wide edge to the point to form little crescents. Place on lined sheet, point-side down.
• 6) Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and chill 10–15 minutes. Bake 22–25 minutes until puffed, golden, and caramelized at the edges. Cool on a rack and repeat with remaining dough.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Buttery, tender cream-cheese dough that bakes up flaky and delicate, just like a good bakery rugelach.
• Mix-and-match fillings: classic cinnamon-sugar, melty chocolate, or glossy jam (or all three in one batch).
• Make-ahead friendly: dough keeps beautifully in the fridge or freezer, so fresh rugelach are always within reach.
• Perfect for holidays, gifting, or a cozy weekend bake that makes your kitchen smell incredible.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional: lemon or orange (for zest, if you want a citrus note)
• Dairy: Cream cheese, unsalted butter, eggs, milk or cream
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, walnuts or pecans, raisins (optional), semisweet or dark chocolate, thick jam or preserves (apricot, raspberry, etc.), coarse sugar (optional but nice for sprinkling)

Full Ingredients

Cream-Cheese Dough

• 8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, cold and cut into chunks
• 8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

This dough makes 4 circles, each about 9 inches in diameter, for a total of roughly 48 rugelach (12 from each circle).

Cinnamon-Sugar Nut Filling (per 1 dough circle / about 12 rugelach)

• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (35 g) finely chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted if desired
• 2 tbsp (15 g) finely chopped raisins or currants (optional)

Chocolate Filling (per 1 dough circle / about 12 rugelach)

• 1/3 cup (60 g) finely chopped semisweet or dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar (optional, for a sweeter filling)
• Pinch ground cinnamon or espresso powder (optional, for extra depth)

Jam & Nut Filling (per 1 dough circle / about 12 rugelach)

• 3 tbsp (about 60 g) thick jam or preserves (apricot, raspberry, strawberry, etc.)
• 2 tbsp (20 g) finely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
• Optional: 1 tsp granulated sugar if your jam is more tart than sweet

Scale the filling quantities up or down depending on how many flavor variations you plan. For example, for two cinnamon-sugar circles, double that filling; for one of each flavor, use each filling recipe once.

For Finishing

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk or cream
• 2–3 tbsp coarse sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the cream-cheese dough

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the cold cream cheese and cold butter together on medium speed until smooth and completely combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat again until just blended. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is mostly incorporated and the dough starts to clump. Stop mixing while there are still a few dry streaks of flour so you do not overwork the dough.

Use a spatula or your hands to gently press the dough together into a soft mass. The dough will be quite soft but should not be sticky; if it is very sticky, sprinkle in 1–2 extra tablespoons of flour and gently work it in.

Step 2: Divide and chill the dough until firm

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a rough disk, then divide it into 4 equal pieces using a bench scraper or knife.

Shape each piece into a smooth, flat disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap or place in reusable airtight bags. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. This chilling step is essential: it firms up the butter and cream cheese, which gives the finished rugelach their tender, flaky texture and helps them hold their shape when baked.

If you plan to chill longer than 24 hours, place the wrapped disks in a sealed container or freezer bag to prevent drying out.

Step 3: Prepare your fillings

While the dough chills, prepare the fillings you want to use. Each recipe below is enough for 1 dough circle (about 12 rugelach). Decide how many circles of each flavor you would like and multiply the ingredients accordingly.

For the cinnamon-sugar nut filling: In a small bowl, stir together the light brown sugar and cinnamon until no lumps remain. Separately, finely chop the nuts (and raisins, if using). Keep the sugar mixture and nuts in separate small bowls; this makes it easier to sprinkle evenly over the dough.

For the chocolate filling: Finely chop the chocolate (or use mini chips). If using, stir the chocolate with the sugar and a tiny pinch of cinnamon or espresso powder. Set aside in a small bowl.

For the jam & nut filling: Stir the jam in a small bowl until smooth and spreadable. If it seems thin or runny, place it in a small saucepan and simmer for 3–5 minutes to thicken slightly, then cool completely. Have your finely chopped nuts ready in a separate bowl.

Step 4: Roll out the dough into a neat circle

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working with one dough disk at a time (leave the others chilled), lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap the dough and place it in the center. Roll it out into a roughly 9-inch (23-cm) circle, rotating the dough frequently and adding just a dusting of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Try to keep the thickness even, about 1/8 inch (3 mm).

If the dough softens too quickly or becomes sticky, slide it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 10 minutes, then continue rolling.

Step 5: Add filling and shape into crescents

Choose your filling for this circle.

For cinnamon-sugar nut rugelach: Evenly sprinkle about 2–3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the rolled dough, leaving a 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) bare border around the edge. Sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of chopped nuts (and raisins, if using) over the sugar, gently pressing them into the dough.

For chocolate rugelach: Evenly scatter 1/3 cup of the chocolate mixture over the dough, again leaving a 1/2-inch bare border. Gently press the chocolate pieces into the dough so they adhere.

For jam & nut rugelach: Spread a very thin layer of jam (2–3 tablespoons) over the surface of the dough using an offset spatula, leaving the same border. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts over the jam and press lightly.

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the circle into 12 wedges (like slicing a pizza). Starting from the wide outer edge of each wedge, roll it snugly toward the point, forming a little crescent-shaped spiral. Place each rugelach on the prepared baking sheet, point-side down so they do not unroll.

Repeat with the remaining dough circles and your chosen fillings, spacing the rugelach about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the sheets.

Step 6: Brush with egg wash and chill briefly

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk or cream until smooth. Lightly brush the tops of the rugelach with the egg wash; you will not use it all. Sprinkle generously with coarse or granulated sugar to create a sparkling, crisp top.

For the best shape and flakiest texture, place the filled and egg-washed rugelach in the refrigerator (or freezer) for 10–15 minutes before baking. This extra chill helps prevent excessive spreading and gives the butter time to firm back up.

Step 7: Bake until golden, flaky, and caramelized

Bake the chilled rugelach at 375°F (190°C) for 22–25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until they are puffed, deep golden brown, and the sugar and jam at the edges are bubbling and caramelized.

The bottoms should be a rich golden color but not burnt. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 20 minutes. If using multiple racks, you may need to swap the sheets between racks halfway for even baking.

Step 8: Cool, serve, and store

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the rugelach cool on the sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Hot centers can burn your mouth, so resist biting into them right away.

Serve at room temperature. The dough’s buttery, tangy richness is especially nice after the cookies have cooled and the fillings have set.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold: Cold butter and cream cheese are the secret to flaky, tender rugelach. If the dough starts to feel soft or sticky at any point, chill it for 10–15 minutes before continuing.
• Do not overload the filling: A thin, even layer is best. Too much filling causes leaking and makes rolling difficult, especially with jam.
• Thicken your jam if needed: Runny jam will ooze out. A quick 3–5 minute simmer to cook off extra moisture, followed by cooling, makes it perfect for spreading.
• Use a pizza cutter for clean wedges: A pizza wheel (or very sharp knife) glides through the filled dough and helps keep the wedges neat and even.
• Freeze before baking for super-sharp spirals: After shaping, freeze the rugelach on the tray for 20–30 minutes. They will bake up with beautiful, well-defined layers.

Variations

• Citrus-apricot rugelach: Add 1–2 tsp finely grated orange or lemon zest to the dough with the sugar. Use apricot jam and chopped almonds for the filling, plus a pinch of cardamom if you like.
• Double-chocolate rugelach: Stir 1 tbsp cocoa powder into the flour before adding to the dough, and fill with chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and a sprinkle of finely chopped hazelnuts.
• Holiday spice rugelach: Add a pinch of nutmeg and cloves to the cinnamon-sugar filling, and use cranberry or cherry jam instead of raisin for a festive twist.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store fully cooled rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To keep them slightly softer, you can layer them with parchment or wax paper. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week.

For freezing, place cooled rugelach in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature; you can refresh them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–8 minutes to crisp them slightly.

You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked rugelach: arrange on a tray, freeze until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), adding 2–4 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 rugelach (assuming 48 per batch, using the cinnamon-nut filling and coarse sugar topping): about 120 calories, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 13 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein, and 75 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary based on filling choices, exact sizes, and toppings.