Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Rugelach

By lorik

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Rugelach recipe is the perfect make-ahead cookie recipe to feed a large crowd. Filled with the jam and nuts of your choice, this rugelach recipe is easy to customize to your own personal taste. This recipe is sure to make a scrumptious addition to your Hanukkah table or any other festive gathering of loved ones.

Ingredients

• 1 (4-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup toasted nuts
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons soft, fresh bread crumbs
• 2/3 cups any preserves
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Preparation

Step 1

To make the dough, cut the butter and cream cheese into 1-inch cubes. Place the butter, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a metal bowl and freeze for 30 minutes.

Transfer the chilled ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the dough forms a shaggy ball, about 20 pulses. Alternatively, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour with a pastry cutter or 2 butter knives to combine. Scrape the moist, sticky dough onto a floured countertop, and form into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, mix together the nuts, sugar, and bread crumbs.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the jam across the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the jam.

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the disk into 16 wedges. Starting from the wide end of the long triangle, roll each segment up, and press on the pointy end to seal. Place seam-side-down on the baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once frozen hard, the rugelach can be transferred to zip-lock bags and kept frozen for up to 6 months.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the egg yolk gently on the tops of the cookies. Place another baking sheet under the cookie-filled sheet. Stacking will keep the rugelach from burning on the bottom. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. The nuts and jam will have squished out a little and be a little messy; that’s okay. The bottoms of the rugelach should be caramelized, but not burned. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

Stored between layers of wax paper in a tightly covered container, rugelach keep well for up to 3 weeks.

VARIATIONS:
Raspberry jam and macadamia nuts, Apricot jam and almonds, Plum jam and hazelnuts, Pear jam and walnuts, Bacon-Onion Jam and salted roasted peanuts