Rugelach, Three Ways

I decided to get a little crazy with my last holiday cookie.  Rugelach is a traditional Jewish dessert, perfect for Channukah.  However, I’m pretty sure that these would be welcome on any Christmas table as well.

So instead of making a traditional version of rugelach, I took the basic cream cheese dough and added a few flavor combinations that I love right now.

Chocolate and Cinnamon: just enough sweetness from the cinnamon sugar mixture

Peanut Butter and Jelly: Do I even need to say more?

And Milk Chocolate and Toffee:  Um, yes I did.

It might be a little bit of production to make a cookie where you have to chill the dough, roll it out, fill it and then bake, but it is well worth it!

And three different flavors isn’t really a big deal since you separate the dough into three sections anyway.  Holiday baking project with the kids or a friend? I think so!

Rugelach, Three Ways

Yield: Makes ~45 cookies

Ingredients:

- Dough:

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened

- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

- Cinnamon Chocolate Filling:

- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

- 2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

- Peanut Butter and Jelly Filling:

- 1/2 cup jelly (any flavor)

- 2/3 cup peanut butter chips, lightly chopped

- Milk Chocolate Toffee Filling:

- 1 cup milk chocolate toffee bits

- Optional: additional milk chocolate for drizzling melting

Instructions:

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and creamy

2. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour just until combined

3. Separate dough into thirds and mold into disks; wrap each tightly in plastic wrap

4. Chill dough in refrigerator at least 2 hours or until firm (can chill up to several days)

5. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper

6. Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour with confectioners' sugar and spoon over counter as a rolling surface

7. Roll out one dough disk into a long rectangle (about 4 inches tall, 1/8 inch thick)

8. For Cinnamon Chocolate: sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over dough, then scatter chocolate chips over top

9. Use a sharp or pizza knife to cut long thin triangles from the rectangle

10. Roll each triangle from the short edge toward the point to form a crescent

11. Place rugelach 1/2-1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet; bake 18-20 minutes until edges are golden brown

12. Repeat with remaining dough for Peanut Butter and Jelly: spread a thin layer of jelly, scatter chopped peanut butter chips, slice, roll, and bake as above

13. Repeat with remaining dough for Milk Chocolate Toffee: spread milk chocolate and toffee pieces, slice, roll, and bake as above

14. Once Milk Chocolate Toffee rugelach are done, drizzle with melted milk chocolate