Rugelach are one of my favorite pastries. I love the combination of soft and golden yeast pastry with lots of chocolate filling.
This is a quick version for chocolate rugelach, made of short crust pastry. It’s much easier to make, and the rugelach obtained are crispy and addictive.

Photo: Natalie Levin
Chocolate Rugelach Cookies
Servings 25 rugelach cookies
Ingredients
For the short crust pastry:
- 140 grams (1 cup) flour
- 25 grams (1/4 cup) almond meal
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) cold butter cut into cubes
- 20 grams (2 tbsp.) icing sugar
- 15 grams (3 tsp.) cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) cream cheese
- 1 large egg yolks
For chocolate filling:
- 75 grams dark chocolate
- 45 ml. (3 tbsp.) heavy cream
- 1 large egg
Decoration:
- 50 grams dark chocolate
Instructions
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In a food processor with a steel blade put flour, almonds, butter, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla and blend until crumbly.
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Add cream cheese and egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form.
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Transfer the dough on a lightly floured work surface, create a disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.
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Chocolate filling: chop the chocolate and put in a bowl. Add cream and melt in the microwave or over double boiler until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
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Add egg and mix well until incorporated.
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Cool the chocolate filling in the refrigerator for about an hour until set.
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Assemble the rugelach: divide the dough into 2 parts.
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Roll each part into a 3 mm thick circle and cut into 12-15 triangles (like a pizza).
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Transfer the chocolate cream into a pastry bag and pipe a generous mound on the broad section of each triangle.
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Roll the rugelach and put on an oven pan lined with baking paper.
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Repeat with the second part of the dough and the remaining filling.
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Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
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Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
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Cool completely at room temperature.
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Decoration: chop the chocolate and solvent.
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Transfer into a pastry bag and pipe thin stripes on the rugelach cookies.
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Freeze for about 5 minutes to set and serve.
Recipe Notes
- You can fill the rugelach with anything you like.
- Keep the rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Photo: Natalie Levin