Rugelach with Nutella, Cardamom, and Coconut

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Recipe Intro From lisathompson

Tender rugelach cookies are a crescent-shaped Hanukkah favorite. This version gets a hit of cardamom in the signature cream cheese-based dough that comes together quickly in a food processor. Spread with Nutella and sprinkle with mini chocolate morsels and coconut before rolling up and sprinkling with glittering sugar. The trick to getting the cookies evenly golden brown before the bottom becomes scorched is to double up your baking sheets to provide an extra buffer against the heat. And since one batch yields 32 cookies, these are perfect to make for your next holiday cookie swap! 

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  • Recipe Card
Prep time 1hr 30mins
Cook time 30mins
Serves or Makes: 32 pieces

Recipe Card

For the Dough

ingredients

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Filling

ingredients

  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

For Decorating (optional)

ingredients

  • 1 large egg white, beaten
  • Coarse sanding sugar

Make the Dough

Method

  • Step 1

    Add butter, cream cheese, flour, and cardamom to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a soft dough forms.

  • Step 2

    Dust a medium bowl with flour and form dough into a ball. Dust with more flour and cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

  • Step 3

    Cover a work surface with a sheet of parchment paper, then dust with flour. Turn out dough and dust with more flour. Roll dough 1/8" thick, then trim to an 11" circle (you can use a large dinner plate or cake pan as a guide). Return dough circle to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat with excess dough.

Fill and Assemble

  • Step 1

    Work with one dough circle at a time. Using a pastry wheel or wooden skewer, score dough to make 16 equal slices (they should look like tiny slices of pizza!) Spread half the Nutella over the surface, leaving a 1/4" border all the way around. Sprinkle with half the chocolate chips and half the coconut.

  • Step 2

    Cut dough into slices, using scoring marks as a guide, then roll each one up from outside-in. Freeze for about 15 minutes.

  • Step 3

    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F degrees. Stack two baking sheets, then line the top one with parchment paper (this prevents the bottom the rugelach from burning). Arrange each frozen cookie about 1.5" apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until golden brown.

  • Step 4

    Allow to cool before serving.