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–+ servings
Apple Cinnamon Rugelach stacked on a white plate in front of an apple and a jar of boiled cider.

Apple Cinnamon Rugelach with Boiled Cider

By Tammy Spencer
These Apple Cinnamon Rugelach wrap a sweet, warmly spiced boiled apple cider filling in tender, flaky cream cheese pastry. Made with a food processor and easy-to-follow rolling instructions, these little crescent cookies bring plenty of apple flavor to Fall baking and holiday cookie plates!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 32 cookies
Calories: 118kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

For the cream cheese pastry dough

  • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt, divided
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, cold, divided, see Recipe Notes
  • 1 cup (227 grams) cream cheese, cold, divided, see Recipe Notes

For the boiled apple cider filling

  • 4 tablespoons (60 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) boiled apple cider, or as needed, homemade or store-bought

For finishing

  • 1 (50 grams) large egg
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) water
  • coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Make the first dough disk: Whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour , 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl.
    Transfer the flour mixture to the bowl of a food processor.
  • Add ½ cup unsalted butter and ½ cup cream cheese to the food processor bowl.
  • Pulse 4 to 5 times, then process continuously just until the mixture comes together into a shaggy ball (less than 30 seconds). Don't continue processing once the dough comes together - you should get a soft pastry dough.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently shape it into a 5-inch disk, smoothing the sides as you go, and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator.
  • Make the second disk: Whisk together the remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, and transfer to the food processor.
    Add the remaining ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup cream cheese, and process as described above. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic, and refrigerate.
  • Refrigerate both disks for 1 hour to let the butter and cream cheese firm up.
  • Prepare the filling: While the dough chills, combine 4 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
    Have about 2 tablespoons boiled apple cider and a pastry brush ready.
  • Assemble the rugelach: Working with one chilled disk at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle slightly larger than 9 inches, about ⅛-inch thick.
    Press a 9-inch round cake pan (or a similarly-sized plate) into the dough and use the indentation as a cutting guide to trim the dough into an even circle using a paring knife.
  • Brush a light coating of boiled apple cider over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border around the outer edge (see Recipe Notes). Sprinkle half the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the boiled cider. Smooth the filling using a small offset spatula.
  • Using a pizza cutter, cut the circle successively into halves, quarters, eighths, then sixteenths. You'll have 16 evenly sized wedges.
  • Starting at the wide outer edge of each wedge, roll the dough toward the pointed end to form a small crescent. Place the rugelach point-side down on a half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper and press gently to seal down the point. Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes
  • Repeat the rolling, filling, cutting, and shaping with the second disk for 32 rugelach total. You can place the second assembled batch on a parchment-lined large cutting board if you don’t have the extra half sheet baking pan.
    Place the second batch in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F. Beat 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water.
  • Bake the rugelach: Remove the first batch of rugelach from the freezer and brush each lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  • Place the parchment-lined baking pan on top of a second half sheet baking pan. The doubled pans insulate the bottoms from the higher oven heat, preventing scorching even if some filling escapes.
  • Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until you have golden-brown pastry with set, lightly browned bottoms. Some filling may bubble out during baking - that's expected with the boiled cider filling.
    Repeat the baking with the second batch of rugelach.
  • Let the rugelach cool on the baking pan for several minutes. The escaped boiled-cider filling will be extremely hot when it first comes from the oven, so let those caramelized bits cool before handling.
    Transfer the rugelach (using the parchment paper as a sling) to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.
  • Storage information: Baked rugelach can be stored in an airtight container in layers separated by wax paper, for 3 to 5 days. They can also be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
  • Make-ahead instructions: The disks of rugelach dough can be frozen, wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer-safe bag or container, for up to 3 months. Defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with shaping.
    Individual unbaked rugelach can be frozen on the baking pan, then stored in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 6 months. Bake them from frozen as directed - there's no need to defrost them first.

Recipe Notes

Keeping the butter and cream cheese cold helps maintain a lighter, flakier pastry texture.
Use a light hand when brushing on the boiled cider - you want the surface lightly coated, not saturated.
Mixer method: I like the food processor method because it gives you an advantage by keeping everything cold and minimizing handling, which is particularly useful for this extremely high-fat 1:1:1 dough. However, you can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to make the rugelach dough if you'd like. the mixer distributes the fat very evenly before the flour goes in, resulting in a dough that's very smooth, tender, and uniform - almost bordering on a very rich cookie pastry. Here's how:
  1. Let the butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature before starting
  2. Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth
  3. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together
  4. Shape into disks, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour before assembling the rugelach

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.4mg