Cherry Rugelach is a pretty pastry to have around during the holidays or any day!
Rugelach is a filled pastry that is shaped similarly to a croissant. It’s commonly found in bakeries of Israel. And you’ll likely find it in Jewish bakeries and delicatessens in the United States too. Chocolate is a common flavor for rugelach. But these cherry rugelach are super delicious too.
How to make Cherry Rugelach:
The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
First make the pastry. It’s a mix of butter, cream cheese, flour and sugar. Knead it together into a ball, and then set it aside while you prepare the cherry filling.
Chop frozen cherries. Simmer them in a saucepan along with sugar and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in walnuts, and then let the mixture cool.
Roll out 1/3rd of the dough into a circle. Spread the cherry mixture on top.
Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Roll up each wedge from the wide end to the tip.
Place the rugelach tip-side-down on a baking sheet. It’s easier to clean up if your baking sheet is lined with parchment paper! Brush each with egg wash (egg mixed with water), and then sprinkle sugar on top too.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining 2/3rds of the dough and cherry filling.
The cream cheese pastry for these cherry rugelach is soft and tender and so flaky and delicious. The cherry filling is yummy too. Store these in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze well. Just store them in a well-sealed container for up to 3 months. Be sure to try my recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach too. Enjoy!
Cherry Rugelach
Ingredients
PASTRY:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour (+ more for work surface)
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar (+ more for sprinkling)
FILLING:
- 12 ounces (1¾ cups) frozen sweet cherries
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
EGG WASH:
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk or water
TOPPING:
- additional sugar or chunky sparkling sugar
Instructions
PREPARE THE PASTRY:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the flour and sugar; beat on low speed until crumbly. Turn the mixture onto a floured surface; knead until a dough forms. Cover and set aside while preparing the filling.
PREPARE THE FILLING:
- Coarsely chop the frozen cherries. Combine the sugar and cornstarch; mix well. Combine the chopped cherries and sugar mixture in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in walnuts. Let cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
ASSEMBLE THE RUGELACH:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one-third of dough into a 10-inch circle. Spread dough with about ½ cup cherry filling, leaving a ½-inch border. Cut the circle into 8 wedge-shaped pieces. Roll up the dough, beginning at the wide end of each wedge. Place the cookies, tip side down, about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Brush each cookie lightly with egg wash (egg and milk or water whisked together) and sprinkle with granulated sugar or chunky sparkling sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
can these be made with cherry pie filling?
I have not tried the recipe using cherry pie filling, so I’m not sure!