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Rugelach

Rugelach Dough​

  • Milk: 150 ml, room temperature
  • Salt: 4g
  • Instant dry yeast: 7g (1 packet)
  • Butter: 120g
  • Eggs: 2, room temperature
  • All purpose flour: 500g
  • Sugar: 80g

Rugelach Filling​

  • 150 g dark chocolate
  • 70 g butter
  • 30 g sugar
  • 20 g cocoa powder
  • 2 g cinnamon (about 1 tsp)
  • 1 g salt / 1 tsp

Egg Wash​

  • Egg yolk: 1
  • Milk: 1 tbsp

Sugar Syrup​

  • Sugar: 5 tbsp
  • Water: 2 tbsp
  • Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
  • simmer until slightly thickened

Method​

  1. Combine chocolate filling.
  2. Mix dough ingredients and knead until ready.
  3. Let rest until doubled in size, ideally overnight in the fridge.
  4. Flatten into a rectangle, 30x20. Long side near you.
  5. Spread room-temp chocolate filling. Leave a bit of empty space on the lower long side.
  6. Fold the dough over the half, then the chocolate face onto the other half.
  7. Flour as needed and roll out the dough length-wise to 15-40cm or so. You should see the filling through it.
  8. Cut into long triangle, 6-7cm at the base.
  9. Roll up. Let rise 1h.
  10. Egg wash. 175° preheated 18 minutes.
  11. Optional: Add sirop.

Flaky Rugelach (Israeli-Style)​

Dough​

  • All-purpose flour: 250g
  • Unsalted butter: 200g, cold, cubed
  • Full-fat cream cheese: 200g, cold
  • Powdered sugar: 30g
  • Salt: 1 pinch

Chocolate Filling​

  • Dark chocolate (70%): 150g, finely chopped
  • Unsalted butter: 60g, melted
  • Cocoa powder: 30g, unsweetened
  • Granulated sugar: 80g
  • Cinnamon: 1 tsp

Topping​

  • Egg: 1, beaten
  • Coarse or pearl sugar: 20g

Method​

  1. Pulse flour, cold butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt in food processor until dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Divide into 3 discs, wrap, refrigerate.
  2. Rest dough at least 1 hour or overnight. Cold dough is non-negotiable — it's what makes the layers flaky.
  3. Mix chopped chocolate, melted butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon until a thick glossy paste forms. If too thick, add a touch more melted butter.
  4. Roll one disc into a thin circle (~30cm). Spread 1/3 of filling evenly, leaving a small border. Press filling gently into dough.
  5. Cut circle into 8 triangles (like a pizza). Roll each from wide base to tip. Place tip-side down on parchment-lined tray. Repeat with remaining discs.
  6. Refrigerate rolled rugelach 20 minutes. Prevents unrolling, keeps them sharp.
  7. Egg wash each rugelach. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top.
  8. 180° preheated 18-22minutes. until deep golden and caramelized at edges. Chocolate should bubble slightly at tips.
  9. Rest 10 minutes before eating. Filling sets slightly. Eating warm is the point.
tip

Don't skimp on butter in the filling — chocolate should almost leak at the tips when baked. Some Israeli bakeries add 1 tbsp apricot jam under the chocolate for extra moisture and tang.

Use real dark chocolate, not chips. Chopped chocolate + cocoa powder gives depth and prevents the filling from being just sweet.