Cherry-Walnut Rugelach

We've changed up the traditional rugelach flavors.

Cherry-Walnut Rugelach
Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones
Active Time:
30 mins
Chill Time:
1 hrs
Bake Time:
40 mins
Cool Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 40 mins
Yield:
2 dozen

Cherry and chocolate and walnuts—oh my! These holiday-ready rugelach cookies really do have it all. Rugelach are crescent-shaped rolled cookies, typically featuring a cinnamon and apricot filling. We're changing things up with this recipe for Cherry-Walnut Rugelach, which are easy to make and even easier to enjoy.

These cookies feature a cream cheese dough and walnuts, but otherwise break from tradition. They're filled with cherry jam and chocolate, a scrumptious substitute for the usual cinnamon sugar and apricot preserves. If you can't find cherry jam at your local grocery store, you can also use cherry preserves—you'll just need to pluck out the larger bits of fruit. An egg wash and a dusting of sparkling sugar before baking really makes these rugelach shine. This recipe yields two dozen cookies—a dozen to keep and a dozen to give away.

For a fun family activity, recruit the kids to help assemble and roll these rugelach. Who knows: baking these cute cookies together might just become a cherished holiday tradition.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • cup cherry jam or cherry preserves with larger pieces removed 

  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, finely chopped 

  • 24 milk chocolate rectangles (such as Hershey's, from 2 [2.6-oz.] milk chocolate candy bars)

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, and add flour, granulated sugar, and salt; beat until blended, about 2 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently until smooth, 4 or 5 times. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, and press into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour.

  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll 1 portion of dough into a 16-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Spread half of cherry jam evenly over dough, and sprinkle evenly with half of chopped walnuts. Use a pizza cutter to cut dough into 12 even wedges.

  3. Place a chocolate rectangle at the wide end of 1 wedge, and carefully roll up; place wedge, point side down, on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with 11 more pieces of chocolate and remaining wedges, spacing cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, jam, walnuts, and chocolate pieces.

  4. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush top of each cookie with egg wash, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

  5. Place 1 baking sheet of cookies in refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake remaining baking sheet in preheated oven until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheet from front to back halfway through bake time. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat procedure with remaining baking sheet of cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

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