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Rugelach with orange and cranberry on a white plate.

Rugelach with Cranberry and Orange

Beth Lee
A rugelach combining an orange-scented dough with dried cranberries, dark chocolate, toasted walnuts, and homemade cranberry jam - it's a burst of Thanksgiving and Hannukah goodness in every bite.
4.72 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Jewish Holiday Baking
Servings 48 servings
Calories 104 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces, at room temperature)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 ½ medium oranges)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

  • 6 ounces dark chocolate (medium fine chop)
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts (about 4 ounces, medium fine chop)
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries (about 1 ½ ounces, chopped to about the size of currants)
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest
  • ½ cup cranberry orange jam or use raspberry or leftover cranberry sauce!
  • 2 tablespoons orange or citrus marmalade (my marmalade was quite spreadable – if yours is a bit thick – you can heat it for 10 seconds at a time in the microwave with a bit of water to loosen it up if necessary)

Instructions
 

Make the dough:

  • Put the 2 tablespoons of sugar into a small bowl, add in the zest, and combine with your hands until the sugar is fragrant with the zest. (I learned this technique from Dorie Greenspan – it is a great way to infuse citrus and herb flavors into baked goods.)
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium high speed until soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream and 2 tablespoons of orange-zested sugar until well combined, about 1 minute. Add flour and use mixer on low speed to carefully mix in the flour until well blended. Be careful not to over-mix or knead. Just combine until the flour is mixed in and the dough can be pulled together into a ball.
  • Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (eyeball or weigh - it's up to you). I wrap each individually and put them in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour or overnight. You can even leave them for a few days or freeze them.
    Dividing and measuring rugelach dough

Make the filling:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate, walnuts, cranberries, 4 tablespoons of sugar, and orange zest. Set aside at room temperature. (can prepare ahead of time by a few hours or even a day)
    Close up of filling for orange cranberry rugelach.

Roll the rugelach:

  • The key to rugelach making is to get organized. Put your jam(s) into small bowls each with a pastry brush for spreading. Have your flour available for dough preparation. Pizza cutter at the ready. ½ cup measure ready for filling. Cookie sheets lined with silicone mat or parchment nearby. Keep all dough refrigerated except the one you are currently forming.
    Mise en place for cranberry orange rugelach.
  • On a lightly floured surface, form the dough into a ball and flatten it out. Roll the dough into a circle about 10 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick. Perfection is not the goal. A few cracks on the edges is ok!
    Cranberry orange rugelach dough rolled out and ready to fill.
  • Brush 2 tablespoons of the cranberry jam over the dough. Sprinkle a generous ½ cup of the filling mixture evenly over the dough and press down gently. Cut the dough into 12 triangles using a pizza or dough cutter. Gently but firmly roll each triangle up starting at the wide end. Place the rugelach, with the pointed side underneath, on a large cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll up the remaining triangles in the same manner and arrange them on the sheet, about ½ inch apart.
    Rugelach dough ready to cut.
  • Brush each rugelach with a dab of the orange or citrus marmalade, then refrigerate the pan for 15 – 30 minutes before baking. This step seems to help then hold their form when baking. While in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350°.
    Close up of orange cranberry rugelach with marmalade brushed on top.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough, preserves and filling mixture; the rugelach will fit on 2 - 3 cookie sheets, depending on how large your sheets are. Do not overcrowd them.
    Rugelach on sheet pan ready to bake.

Bake the rugelach:

  • Bake up to two sheets at a time, switching the sheets after 20 minutes, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and filling starts to ooze a bit. I found if I baked one sheet at a time, it took just under 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Once out of the oven, transfer the rugelach to a rack to cool. Store in a closed container for several days or the rugelach can be frozen, well wrapped, for 2-4 weeks; let return to room temperature before serving.
    Orange cranberry rugelach baked on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two or even frozen.
  • Filling can be mixed and left covered at room temperature for a day in a cool dry place.
  • You can freeze unbaked or baked rugelach for later use.
  • You can bake in partial batches - no need to make all 48 at the same time.
  • OR, get a helper, make a double batch of dough, set up an assembly line and make a mountain of rugelach in one afternoon.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcalCarbohydrates: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 12mgPotassium: 46mgSugar: 5gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 0.6mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword cranberry, orange, rugelach
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