Rugelach

With the holidays approaching, I’ve beginning to stockpile cookie dough for the freezer. I pick one afternoon – crank up the Frank, Ella, Perry, and Esquivel holiday music and bake like a lunatic. I’ve never made rugelach before, so I thought I’d give it a shot. You can’t really go wrong with a dough that’s comprised of butter and cream cheese, and filled with raspberry jam, pecans, chocolate chips, and chopped dried cranberries. 

For the dough:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 pound butter

For the filling:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or finely chopped regular chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped small
• 1 jar seedless raspberry jam

The finish:

• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
• leftover cinnamon sugar

1. Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse. Add the cream cheese – cut into four chunks, and process until the cream cheese is incorporated into the flour.
2. Cut the butter in four pieces and add to the machine and run until the dough begins to clump. Form into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for two hours.
3. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon together.
4. Chop chocolate chips (if not using the mini chips), pecans, and cranberries, stir together in another small bowl.
5. Divide dough into quarters – on a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 8″ x 12″ rectangle. Spread 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam over the surface of the dough, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar, then 4 tablespoons of the chocolate, fruit, nut mixture. Roll dough from the 12″ side as tight as possible, sealing the seam and the ends. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6.  Place log in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350º, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Cut log into 1″ pieces, and place cut side up on baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer immediately to a baking rack to cool.