Cherry Pistachio Rugelach

These award winning cherry and pistachio rugelach always make an appearance during the holiday season! This festive twist on traditional rugelach are filled with a thin layer of tart cherry preserves and nutty pistachios with warm cinnamon that are rolled up in a decadent cream cheese dough.

What are Rugelach?

Rugelach are traditional Jewish cookies that are rolled with a fruit and nut mixture. Usually, rugelach are made with a cream cheese based dough and rolled with a fruit jam and chopped nuts. There are also Israeli rugelach, which are instead made with a yeasted dough and brushed with a simple syrup.

These cherry pistachio rugelach were one of the first rugelach flavors I made over 10 years ago Since then, I've had fun with different twists on rugelach and always make them during Hanukkah, such as chocolate raspberry rugelach and even a savory herb and cheese rugelach which is really delicious!

Award Winning Rugelach

My cherry pistachio rugelach are a 2 times award winning rugelach! The recipe was submitted, made and won the L.A. Times Cookie Contest and when we lived in Southern California, a local holiday cookie contest in Long Beach.

These rugelach are rolled with green pistachios and deep red cherry preserves, showcasing a "marriage" of Christmas colors but baked for Hanukkah as well.

They are traditional, with a twist, melt in your mouth thanks to the decadent cream cheese dough and have a light sweet layer of brightness from the fresh orange zest.

Why you Love this Recipe

• Rugelach have a decadent cream cheese dough that is irresistible!
• The pistachio and cherry combination is not only delicious but striking enough to serve during the holidays.
• The dough is fool proof and easy to make ahead and freeze easily.

Rugelach Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

• Cream Cheese: The base of rugelach dough that creates a creamy texture to the cookie. Use full fat cream cheese that is at room temperature so it's easier to mix.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter and cream cheese get creamed together as the first step. Make sure the butter at room temperature as well.
• Sugar: Just a tough of sugar is added to the dough for a hint of sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract: I like adding a hefty teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough to give it depth of flavor.
• Flour: Simple: all-purpose flour is all you need for these cookies.

Rugelach Filling

• Cherry Preserves: Bon Maman makes fantastic cherry preserves, which is what is used in this recipe. The preserves will have whole fruit in them, so make sure to run it through a small food processor or blender for a few seconds t smooth out the consistency.
• Chopped Pistachios: Unsalted chopped pistachios are chopped enough so there are no large pieces of nuts. The pistachios offer a beautiful green color against the deep red cherry preserves.
• Brown Sugar: This is added to the pistachio mixture for added sweetness.
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Warm spices are added to the pistachio nut mixture.
• Orange Zest: A touch of fresh orange zest brightens the deeper cherry preserves.

How to Make Rugelach

Make the Dough

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in stand mixer with a paddle attachment until very creamy. Then add the sugar and vanilla and mix well.
2. Slowly add the flour in and until just combined. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Filling

1. Add the chopped pistachios to a bowl, along with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well.
2. Pulse the cherry preserves in a food processor or blender until smooth and there are no large fruit pieces.
3. Transfer preserve to a bowl and add orange zest and stir well.

Roll, Form and Bake the Rugelach

1. Remove dough from the fridge and cut into 4 pieces.
2. Roll each dough onto a lightly floured surface to a 10 inch circle. Use a plate or cheesecake pan to guide the circle and cut away any excess dough. *Note: Save the dough scraps to roll out for more rugelach.
3. Spread 3 tablespoons of cherry preserves onto the dough in a thin layer, leaving a small dough border.
4. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the chopped pistachio mixture on top of the preserves and use your hands to gently press the nuts into the jam.
5. Use a pizza cutter or knife and cut the dough into 8 even triangles, like a pizza. Then roll each rugelach from the outside-in, creating a crescent shape.
6. Place rugelach on lined baking sheet, pointy side down and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake rugelach at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Rugelach Making Tips

• After the dough is made, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. You can also make ahead and freeze.
• If dough is chilled, it may be a bit harder to roll out. Leave at room temperature until it's easier to roll with a rolling pin.
• Don't overfull with jam or nuts, a little goes a long way and the more filling there is, the harder it will be to roll the rugelach.
• As you make the circles and cut off excess dough, save the scraps to roll out another circle.

More Rugelach Recipes to Make

• Pumpkin Rugelach with Caramelized Pecans
• Sticky Cinnamon Bun Rugelach
• Rosemary Fig Rugelach
• Savory Herb and Cheese Rugelach

Cherry Pistachio Rugelach

Samantha Ferraro

LittleFerraroKitchen.com

These cherry pistachio rugelach are filled with tart cherry preserves and nutty pistachios, all rolled up in a decadent cream cheese dough.

5 from 13 votes

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chilling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 40 Rugelach

Calories 137 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  Microplane
• ▢
  Silpat

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Dough

• ▢ 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ ½ pound unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

• ▢ ¾ cup chopped pistachios no large pieces
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ ½ cup cherry preserves quickly pulsed in food processor (no lumps)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon orange zest

Topping

• ▢ egg + water for egg wash
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

 

Make the Dough

• Cream butter and cream cheese in stand mixer with a paddle attachment until very creamy. Then add the sugar and vanilla and mix well.
• Slowly add the flour in and until just combined. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Filling

• Add the chopped pistachios to a bowl, along with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well.
• Pulse the cherry preserves in a food processor or blender until smooth and there are no large fruit pieces.
• Transfer preserve to a bowl and add orange zest and stir well.

Roll, Form and Bake the Rugelach

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 4 pieces.
• Roll each dough onto a lightly floured surface to a 10 inch circle. Use a plate or cheesecake pan to guide the circle and cut away any excess dough. *Note: Save the dough scraps to roll out for more rugelach.
• Spread 3 tablespoons of cherry preserves onto the dough in a thin layer, leaving a small dough border.
• Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the chopped pistachio mixture on top of the preserves and use your hands to gently press the nuts into the jam.
• Use a pizza cutter or knife and cut the dough into 8 even triangles, like a pizza. Then roll each rugelach from the outside-in, creating a crescent shape.
• Place rugelach on lined baking sheet, pointy side down and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake rugelach at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Video

Notes

• After the dough is made, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. You can also make ahead and freeze.
• If dough is chilled, it may be a bit harder to roll out. Leave at room temperature until it's easier to roll with a rolling pin.
• Don't overfull with jam or nuts, a little goes a long way and the more filling there is, the harder it will be to roll the rugelach.
• As you make the circles and cut off excess dough, save the scraps to roll out another circle.

Dough recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 38mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 231IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.5mg

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