Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach – Pastry is rolled with a cinnamon raisin filling and then baked until crispy on top and chewy in the middle
I don’t talk much about my Jewish heritage but it was definitely part of my upbringing. We never went to the synagogue but we’d celebrate the major holidays and ate many of the traditional foods.
My grandma loved to take us to a local Jewish deli on our breakfast dates. It was there where I discovered the rugelach – a pastry cookie filled with raspberry, chocolate, apricot, or raisins. I’m sure there are many more flavors but those are the popular ones.
Today I making a Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach for you. I never used to like this flavor rugelach but I have since figured out why – the large raisins just don’t fit in this dainty pastry cookie. So I pulsed them in a food processor with walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and apricot preserves to make a paste that we’ll spread on the pastry before rolling into little crescent cookies.
And that is just what I needed to fall in love with them. The cinnamon and raisin are such a classic combo and they pair perfectly in this rugelach. They also create a chewy texture that is great in the pastry dough.
Making the dough
The dough for rugelach is very similar to a pie dough. I make it the same way, by pulsing together in the food processor. But instead of adding cold water to help the dough form, the moisture comes from cream cheese so no extra water is needed.
The flour, salt, butter, and cream cheese are added to a food processor and pulsed until the dough comes together. Then, you wrap up the dough and flatten into a disk before chilling in the refrigerator.
Making the filling
Don’t put away your food processor just yet! The filling is also pulsed in there to help it form a paste. Raisins, cinnamon, sugar, and walnuts are pulsed together first to chops up the raisins and walnuts super small. Then, apricot preserves is added to help them all come together into a paste.
Assembling the rugelach
Once the dough has chilled for at least an hour, it’s rolled out and trimmed to a perfect 10-inch circle. Then, the filling is spread almost all the way to the edge (leaving about 1/4 inch clear). Then, the circle is cut into 16 identical wedges. You can achieve this by cutting the circle like a pizza.
Next, each wedge is rolled from the edge to the point to create a crescent shape and placed on a prepared baking sheet. Finally, they’re brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with coarse sugar before baking until golden brown.
Tips & Tricks
- Use your fingers to help spread the filling over the dough easily and without ripping it.
- You must have cold pastry for this recipe or else the resulting rugelach will not be flaky.
- Filling will bake out – that’s almost inevitable. However, if you don’t like the look of the excess filling spilling out, you can cut it off. I had to do that with a batch and it looked great!
Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces cream cheese sliced, cold
- 8 tablespoons butter unsalted, cold, cubed
For the filling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ⅓ cup apricot preserves
For finishing:
- 3 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
- 1 large egg for egg wash
Instructions
For the dough:
- Add all ingredients to a bowl of a food processor. Cover and pulse until ball of dough forms. Remove from processor and cover in plastic wrap. Form into a flat disc and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the filling:
- While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling. Wipe out the food processor with a towel. Add in the sugars, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts and pulse until the walnuts and raisins are in small pieces. Add in the apricot preserves and process until a paste forms. Remove from processor and place in a small bowl. Cover and keep room temperature.
Assembling the rugelach:
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside. Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the chilled dough into an 11-inch circle. Measure out a 10-inch circle and trim off the excess and discard. Spread filling all over the 10-inch disc, leaving about ¼ from the edge inch clean. Using a pizza cutter, slice circle into 16 even wedges, as if you were slicing a pizza.
- Starting from the outer edge, roll the dough towards the center to form a crescent. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat with all the wedges.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking sheet of unbaked rugelach in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Remove chilled rugelach from freezer. Brush with an egg wash made with one beaten egg and 1 teaspoon of water. Sprinkle each rugelach with coarse sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Some of filling may ooze out. You can cut the excess off or just serve as-is. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.
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I have always loved eating rugelach but never attempted to bake them myself. Your recipe makes it so easy to bake them, so I am happy to make them now. They look so delicious
Oh this is the most delicious and decadent bread! Love the cinnamon and raisins together in it so much!
I like the texture of the filling. It’s like a paste that you can put anywhere thanks to the raisins and the apricots preserves. Great recipe!
This looks awesome! The combination of cinnamon, raisins and walnuts sounds delicious. Definitely worth a try!
I’m so glad I came across this recipe. I made it for my family this morning, and everyone loved it. I couldn’t resist letting them cool and had to eat one while it was still warm, and omg, it was amazing!
I ADORE rugelach, and it’s my husband’s favorite cookie! And cinnamon raisin is a perfect combination!!
Made these rugelach for a cookie swap and everyone loved them! Your instructions were very easy to follow.
This is surely in my Christmas Platter. Loved your recipe. Sounds super tasty too.
This is a winner! I am making it for Christmas morning breakfast. Did a test run a few days ago, and it is perfect! We have all the family over, and they will be delighted! Give this five stars.
Oh gosh! I love raisins so much and this one looks so delicious. I will surely make this for everyone.
This was so good!! My kids love raisin and this was a really huge hit!
Some new recipe to try this Christmas. My family to love it. Best when friends are home or a Tea TIme Party Platter.
I love these flaky, tasty boites!
Oh I have been looking for this recipe. So glad I saw this! It used to be there in a local bakery and was my childhood favourite. Thankyou for the recipe
This looks so freaking tasty. I would love to eat this for breakfast or for a dessert. I know that it tastes delicious.
This cinnamon and raisin rugelach is such a delicious treat! Such a great texture, crispy on the outside with a chewy interior.
This looks incredible! I don’t think I’ve ever had it before, but I tend to love all things with cinnamon.
I don’t think I’ve ever made rugelach at home. This cinnamon raisin version of yours was so easy to follow and tastes amazing. I’ll be making these more often, for sure!
Rugelach has been one of my favorite desserts since I was a kid. I love chocolate but also had a cinnamon raisin batch years ago that was amazing. I would love to try to make them for my kids one day.
I love love love eating rugelach, but have never tried to make it. Your recipe looks easy and totally manageable, think I am going to give it a try. thanks for sharing!!