Nutella Rugelach
Nutella rugelach is a delicious twist on the classic rugelach recipe and a great sweet treat for any occasion! Made with flaky dough and a rich Nutella filling, this rugelach recipe will satisfy your sweet tooth. They’re one of my favorite easy recipes and a crowd-pleaser, making them perfect for any holiday or casual gathering.
What Is Rugelach?
Rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry made with flaky dough and a sweet filling. It’s a popular dessert amongst Jewish communities and is often served on the Jewish Sabbath and Hannukah.
Traditional Rugelach is made with a fruity, nutty filling consisting of raisins and walnuts. For this recipe, however, you’ll need more decadent ingredients – Nutella and hazelnuts. Keep reading to learn how to make this flaky pastry!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple – This recipe consists of a few staple ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your home!
Easy – You don’t have to be a skilled baker to whip up this recipe. All you need are a few simple ingredients, and you’re good to go!
Crowd-Pleaser – This dessert is sure to win over your family’s hearts!
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is a staple in most rugelach recipes as it provides a sturdy crust with a unique flavor!
- Unsalted Butter – Unsalted butter allows the other flavors in the recipe to shine and helps create a flaky rugelach dough.
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar promotes browning and adds flavor to the pie crust.
- Kosher Salt – Adding a bit of salt enhances the flavor of your pie crust.
- Pure Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste – Vanilla extract enhances the flavors of other ingredients in the pie crust, producing a flavorful end result.
- All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour adds sturdiness to the dough while allowing for easy rolling.
- Hazelnuts – Hazelnuts provide a nice crunch and pair well with the Nutella filling.
- Nutella – Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread and is the bulk of the filling.
- Egg – Combining a little bit of water with an egg and brushing it over your rugelach cookies provides a golden brown crust.
Tools
- Electric Mixer or Food Processor
- Rolling Pin
- Dental Floss or Another Sharp Cutting Tool
- Sheet Pans
- Brush for the Egg Wash
How To Make Nutella Rugelach
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until light.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cut it into quarters, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Make the Nutella filling.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface, roll each ball into a 9-inch circle and spread Nutella filling onto the dough. OR roll out into a large circle and cut it into 8 pieces with a pizza cutter or sharp knife! The world is your oyster 🙂
- Roll up the dough, cut it into equal pieces, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, brush egg wash over the rugelach, and bake as directed.
Rolling Tips
Use dental floss to cut the dough IF YOU ARE ROLLING THEM UP like I do in my original recipe. However, a sharp knife or pizza cutter will work great for a cleaner cut if you are rolling them up like little crescents (as pictured above) !
How To Store Nutella Rugelach
Place your rugelach in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. After 3 days, put it in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the dough and divide it into a few balls. Then, shape the dough into discs and freeze it for up to 3 months. You can also prepare the rugelach cookies (uncooked) and freeze them for up to 3 months. Remember to let the dough come down to room temperature before baking.
Can I Use A Food Processor To Make The Dough?
Yes! I made this recipe using a food processor, and it worked great!
Can I Use A Different Type Of Chocolate Spread Instead Of Nutella?
If you don’t have Nutella or prefer something else, you can switch it out for another chocolate filling! Psssst, peanut butter and jelly would be EPIC!!! Also…the ORIGINAL recipe is posted here and you may want to check it out!!!!
PrintNutella Rugelach
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 85 min 1x
Description
Nutella rugelach is a delicious twist on the classic rugelach recipe and a great sweet treat for any occasion! Made with flaky dough and a rich Nutella filling, this rugelach recipe will satisfy your sweet tooth. They’re one of my favorite easy recipes and a crowd-pleaser, making them perfect for any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1/2– pound unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (cane sugar or granulated sugar works in a pinch as well, packed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup Nutella (warmed up in the microwave for 30 seconds to make a bit more spreadable)
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour. *I have also used a food processor to make the dough and it worked great.*
- To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and hazelnuts.
- On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons Nutella and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough.
- Roll up the dough carefully like a jelly roll, making sure to tuck the corners under.
- With floss slice them (as pictured) about 1 inch thick.
- OR roll out into a large circle and cut it into 8 pieces with a pizza cutter or sharp knife! The world is your oyster 🙂 Then roll them up like little crescents starting with the smaller corner of the triangle and working up towards the larger end!
- Lay them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.
- Prep Time: 60 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Desserts