While no doubt the photos of this gluten free Rugelach look enticing, you might be wondering what on earth is a “Rugelach”?
This favorite Jewish sweet actually has its origins in a yeast dough, laminated, kneaded and taking hours to prepare. It may come as no surprise to find that short cuts were apparently taken in its transition to America decades ago, and away from the painstaking process historically used to make this famous pastry.
What we find called “Rugelach” most often in the U.S. now is something very different, but equally delicious. Rather than croissant-like, the modern version is more dense, filled with sweet fillings and often a cream cheese, yeast-less dough. You may know it as a nut roll. Easier to pronounce, but no less insanely good.
One can still choose to make Rugelach dough into crescents or mini croissants, or the gorgeous strudel shape I’ve used in my gluten free Rugelach cookie recipe, which also happens to takes less time to prepare (another American short-cut, I’m sure).
Traditional fillings range from apricot to date to fig, chocolate, marzipan, Nutella, crushed toasted nuts or even poppy seeds. Choose what suits you – anything soft and tasty that can be rolled up inside these dough will work beautifully.
I’ve used raisins, pecans and preserves in this recipe, just match the proportions if you use alternative fillings.
This gluten free Rugelach will dress up any table this holiday season. And while it looks quite impressive, don’t let that daunt you. There are several steps, but the techniques are happily quite simple, and the results are so worth the effort!
The steps are really simple – a lot like making homemade gluten free cinnamon rolls. Just divide the dough into 4 balls and roll out, spread toppings and roll up into a log:
Then with each log on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cut into cookies before baking:
And there you have it! A gorgeous, flavor-filled cookie that looks like it was a lot of work to create, but it really isn’t. The log shapes actually make it easy to make a bunch of these “cookies” all at the same time!
Another reader had this to say about this yummy recipe:
I just made rugelach using the GF Jules recipe… seriously the best I have ever made. They held their shape when I actually followed the directions
The chocolate filling is just 8oz bittersweet melted, and then 1/4 cup brown sugar stirred in. So. Yum.
~Mir C.
I can’t wait to hear how much you love this traditional recipe with a gluten-free spin!
Gluten Free Rugelach Cookie Recipe
Gluten Free Rugelach Cookie Recipe
This gluten free Rugelach will dress up any table this holiday season. And while it looks quite impressive, don't let that daunt you. There are several steps, but the techniques are happily quite simple, and the results are so worth the effort!
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative, softened (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (dairy or vegan/non-dairy substitute)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups (304 grams) gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Rugelach:
- 2 cups preserves or jam (like Bonne Maman® Fig Preserves and Strawberry Preserves pictured)
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Milk for brushing on top (dairy or non-dairy)
- Demerara sugar for tops after baking (optional)
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 2 Tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Instructions
Beat together butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk flour and salt, then stir into the cream cheese mixture until dough is formed.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling the dough will help it be less sticky and easier to work with.
Line a large jelly roll or shallow- sided baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon.
Prepare a clean counter or pastry mat by liberally dusting with more gfJules® flour. Have a rolling pin, bench scraper or spatula and all toppings ready.
Divide the chilled dough into 4 pieces, removing one to your work surface and returning the others, wrapped, to the refrigerator.
Rolling in each direction, gently roll one dough into a rectangle, approximately 10 x 8 inches. Spread enough preserves across the entire top of the dough to cover it with a thin layer. Evenly distribute ¼ cup raisins, then ¼ cup chopped pecans across the top of the preserves, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Using a bench scraper or spatula, begin rolling up the dough into a log, starting with one of the short sides, rolling until the entire dough is rolled onto itself. Gently transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down, then tuck the ends underneath.
Repeat the process with the other three sections of dough. Line the logs up on the baking sheet no more than 1-2 inches apart.
Brush each log with milk, then using a large, sharp knife, make 3/4-inch-deep cuts across each log every one inch. Do not cut all the way through the logs at this time. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and return to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Once preheated, remove the plastic wrap and bake the rugelach logs on the baking sheet for 45 minutes; they will be light golden brown when done. Sprinkle with demerara sugar, if desired, then allow to fully cool on the pan.
Once cooled, mix icing in a small bowl, then drip using a spoon over the logs in a crosswise pattern. Use a large knife or bench scraper to cut the logs all the way through at each one inch cut, then serve.
Yield: approximately 28 rugelach cookies.
Nutrition Information
Yield 28 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 219Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 22mgSodium 77mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 1gSugar 24gProtein 2g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
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After baking, can they be frozen, thawed, and eaten later? Mine are on the final chilling in the refrigerator now – I can’t wait to taste them, but I’d like to save some to share next week!
Hi Carol, yes you can freeze these and enjoy later!
~jules
Nearly a disaster with the dough—chillled it and when itried to roll it out was all crumbs. I put crumbs back into a bowl and add a couple tbls of water and mixed. Dough was sticky and rewrapped in plastic and chilled for 45 mins. I was able to roll it out successfully! Not sure what happened but definitely too much flour. Finished cookies came out great!
So glad you went with your instinct and added more liquid so that the rugelach dough turned out well in the end! Check out this article on measuring gluten free flour and see if it helps at all for next time!
~jules
I had also a disaster with this recipe. After being chilled the dough wouldn’t soften and then I finally got it rolled out but once I put in the fulling and tried to roll it it just cracked all over.
Hi Alyson, how did you measure your flour? Did you use any substitute ingredients from those given in the recipe?
~jules
I measured the floor by spooning it as I had just made the mandel bread recipe and saw the note on spooning the flour vs scooping. I think I used Bobs Red Mill gf flour blend.
I made a savory (appetizer) rugelach with your recipe with goat cheese and fig. It was SO good! I LOVE your flour! I just ordered a new bag!
So excited to try this gluten free rugelach recipe with your savory variation! It sounds divine, Wendy!!!
~jules
I have several people in my family who are eating gluten free. My late mother used to make pecan Christmas cookies (I have 3 pecan trees! Free nuts!) for our whole family. She must have made a couple thousand cookies each year! So I took the dough recipe from this rugelach and made her filled pecan cookies! You put powdered sugar on them after they cool. Oh, my! Were they ever happy with these cookies!! Filling was 3 cups pecans, 1 egg, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla processed in food processor! Thank you for your wonderful flour and your recipes!!
Oh my, is right! Those pecan cookies look divine, Natalie! What a stroke of brilliance to use this gluten free rugelach cookie dough to make them! Thanks so much for sharing your mother’s pecan Christmas cookie tradition and filling recipe — I can’t wait to try this!
~jules
Yum! This recipe is wonderful.
We made poppy seed, marzipan and chocolate, apricot pecan, and apricot pecan with chocolate!
WOW, Maggie! Those are beautiful!!! Please share your poppyseed filling recipe – I need one!!!!!
~jules
Would it be possible to get your poppyseed filling recipe? My mom made poppyseed rolls each holiday, but I never got the recipe. Thanks in advance!
Here is a dear friend’s family poppyseed filling recipe which he has graciously shared. ENJOY!
Ingredients:
½ pound of poppy seeds
½ cup of milk
ÂĽ cup butter
3 Tbs honey
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
Directions:
• Grind the poppy seeds in a spice grinder. I like to split the seeds into two batches: grind one third very fine to create a past and the other two thirds use a course grind (less time in the grinder) to give the filling some texture.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.
• Combine the milk, butter, honey and sugar in a sauce pan over a low heat. Stir often to help the sugar dissolve. When you have a smooth consistency with the sugar dissolved, gradually add half of the mixture to the beaten eggs – stir the mixture constantly as you add the milk/butter/sugar mix. Then return the eggs and milk mixture to the rest of the batch in the pan and stir.
• Cook the mixture until it starts to thicken, stirring constantly. You’ll know it’s ready when it sticks to your spoon. Add the ground poppy seeds and stir. Make sure you mix the seeds in thoroughly
• Remove the filling from the stove and allow to cool thoroughly before using. Filling can be stored a few days in the fridge or frozen for longer periods.
These look delicious, but they are not rugalach. They another Jewish pastry called mandelbread which are similar to biscotti..
What? No eggs in this dough??? I would love to make it but I am afraid I never made a dough without eggs!!!
Please confirm with me. I have all the ingredients ready and waiting but I want to make sure that no eggs are needed!!
Thank you for your quick reply.
Hi Clara, you’re so funny! I do try to make many of my recipes vegan where I can. This dough works fine without eggs because of the cream cheese ingredient. Enjoy!
~jules
Gluten free rugelach this addictive should come with a warning. Unbelievable how awesome, and not ‘gluten free tasting’ this was. Of course we used your gfJules Flour — what WOULD we do without it? Thanks for the great recipe and wonderful flour Jules!
SO glad you loved it!!
~jules
I’m not following the step where you roll the dough into a log. Could you provide approximate dimensions when you roll each section and then what the size is after you make it into a log?
I made this rugelach for the first time this Christmas. Used the recipe you gave and it was DELICIOUS! (followed recipe exactly) Made only one batch and gave some in cookie sharing. NOONE new it was gluten free and raves galore!!! This is a keeper for my holiday cookies and will have to make at least 2 batches new year, maybe even for Easter. Loved them, thanks Jules.
Oooh Easter sounds like a great idea, Sharon! SO happy you and everyone else loved this recipe, too. It’s truly oh-so yummy. I’ll be happy to have another occasion to make them, too!
~jules
Jules, The flavor turned out great but my rugelach are a mess! The dough keeps breaking into pieces when I try to roll it and when went to fold it it broke apart again. I followed your dough recipe exactly. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!
Hi Emily, I’m sorry to hear about the breakage in the dough. Did you use my flour? What about your cream cheese and butter – were you using dairy or non-dairy? Low fat? It sounds like there was just too much moisture or not enough flour. Sometimes flour can even be measured wrong and that can be the problem. When most recipes call for flour (mine included), they mean to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, not to use the measuring cup to scoop flour. This can throw a recipe off by up to 25%. The best way to be sure is to weigh flour (1 cup of my flour is 135grams), but it’s still accurate enough to measure by volume if you’re measuring right. If this happens again, try working more of my flour into the dough when it’s on the mat and see if that helps give it more structure. I’m so glad that at least it still tasted yummy!!!
~jules
What would you use for a choc filling?
It was super easy! The only thing I did differently was to let the dough warm up a little after I refrigerated it overnight because it crumbled at first. I am sure experienced bakers probably know that already 🙂
I also used a sugar free blackberry preserve & may try to make the whole thing sugar free next time.
It is really tasty & you wouldn’t know it is gluten free!
Merry Christmas!
So wonderful to hear, Holly! And thanks for sharing your picture – seriously, your rugelach IS prettier than mine! Good thing it’s not a beauty contest … it’s all about that taste!!!
Merry Christmas to you, too, and enjoy those treats!
~jules
I divided the dough in four and chilled it in the freezer for only 30 minutes. It was more than cold enough.