Cookie Monster
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[Photograph: Carrie Vasios]

These rugelach are ready for fall with a filling of cranberries, walnuts, and orange.

About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: makes 4 dozen cookies
Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Special equipment: food processor, rolling pin, baking sheets, parchment paper
This recipe appears in: Cookie Monster: Cranberry Orange Rugelach

Ingredients

  • For the Dough
  • 2 cups (about 10 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, diced
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  •  
  • To Finish:
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Procedures

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar and pulse twice to combine. Add cream cheese and butter and pulse until dough is just starting to come together, but not a coherent ball, about 10 short pulses. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and form dough into a ball, then cut ball into four equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

  2. In a small bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and orange zest; set aside. Place preserves in a small bowl and microwave until warm and loose, about 30 seconds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  3. On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll one ball dough out into a 9-inch circle. Brush circle with apricot jam. Sprinkle with 1/4 cranberry mixture. Cut dough into 12 equal wedges. Roll each wedge up, starting at the wide end, and pressing lightly to seal. Place each cookie, point side down, on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. Cover sheets with plastic wrap and let chill 30 minutes.

  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Take cookies out of refrigerator, brush each with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, and serve. Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.