The Apple of my Pie! Apple Pie Rugelach Cookie Recipe! Noreen's Kitchen

Today we have a fun and delicious collaboration to share!  I am teaming up with Jac, from the Vegetarian Baker channel to do a couple of videos in celebration of National Cookie Month!  Did you know there was a national cookie month?  Well there is!  And October is the auspicious occasion!  So, to honor all things cookie, we are teaming up to share a couple of pie inspired cookie recipes.  Jac will be sharing his pumpkin pie cookies and I am sharing these amazing, flaky, rich and delicious apple pie rugelach!

If you are not familiar with what rugelach is, it is a little Jewish or Israeli cookie that when translated to English means "little twist".  they typically look like a crescent and the original version is filled with cinnamon, sugar and ground nuts.  However they fillings can run the gamut.  Some of my favorites include raspberry or apricot jam with ground nuts and cinnamon, Nutella or hazelnut spread, brown sugar, you name it!  If you can roll it up in the dough, you can make these cookies any way you like them.

This dough is so amazing and reminds me very much of the dough for my grandmother's kifli recipe.  It is a very short dough, meaning it has a lot of fat and a little flour, just to hold it all together.  A dash of sugar and a splash of vanilla extract add loads of delicious mild flavor to this cookie dough that will be enhanced by the filling you choose to put inside.    This is very easy to make in the mixer, just cream the fats, add the flour and flavorings and blend till it comes together.  Then I wrap the whole thing in some plastic and stow it in the fridge for at least a half hour.  You can make this dough a couple days in advance in preparation for a big baking marathon and have it all read to go.

When you are ready to make the cookies, divide the dough in four and only keep out one portion to work with.  Roll it into a 12 to 14 inch circle then using a pastry or pizza cutter, divide the circle into 12 wedges.  These will be your cookies.  

I made a filling out of shredded apples, golden raisins, sugar and apple pie spice.  Sauteed in a bit of butter and let it all cook down into an beautiful thick mixture that was perfect for filling my rugelach.    I allowed the filling to cool while the dough was in the fridge.  You just don't want the filling to be hot otherwise it will melt all that butter and cream cheese in the dough.

Then you fill you cookies by adding a scant teaspoon to the wide end of each wedge and the roll up like a crescent roll.  Place each cookie on an awaiting baking sheet lined with either a parchment or a silicone mat.  I brushed the rugelach with egg wash and sprinkled with some coarse crystal sugar for crunch and decoration.  Baked them for 15 to 18 minutes until they were lightly browned on top and bottom.  Then let them cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

These cookies are super delicious and you are going to love them.  They taste like apple pie, of that you can be sure and they will disappear quickly.  

I only made half of the dough because that is all the filling I had.  The rest of the dough was wrapped and placed in the freezer.  It will be good for up to six months but I will be using mine sooner.  Just thaw in the fridge for a day or so when you want to use it and proceed as usual.  

I hope you will check out the Vegetarian Baker Channel!  He has so many delicious vegetarian versions of awesome recipes I know you will love it!  Hit is subscribe button and show him some YouTube family love!  Links can be found below!  His pumpkin pie cookies look like they will be amazing!

I hope you give these apple pie rugelach a try and I hope you love them!

Happy Eating!

You can find a printable version of this recipe on my website here: http://bit.ly/2dJX8VN

Click to go to the Vegetarian Baker Channel:  http://bit.ly/2dSqK1q

Jac's Pumpkin Pie Cookie Video Here: http://bit.ly/2e7PSpa

You can see how I made these cookies in my YouTube video here:

Noreen's Kitchen

Apple Pie Rugelach

Ingredients

Dough 1 brick (8 ounces) cream cheese 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cubed 1 cup sour cream 4 ½ cups all purpose flour ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Filling 3 medium apples, peeled and grated ½ cup golden raisins ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter 2 teaspoons, apple pie spice blend 1 egg 1 tablespoon of water Crystal sugar for garnish

Step by Step Instructions

Using a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.

Add sour cream and beat until incorporated.

Add sugar and vanilla and whip to combine.

Add flour and salt and mix until incorporated.  Do not over mix.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.  Longer is better. 

To make the filling:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add apples, raisins, sugar and spices and stir well.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.  When all the water has cooked out and the apple mixture has thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough into four equal portions.  Return three to the refrigerator.

Roll out your working portion of dough into a 12 to 14 inch circle.  Using a pastry or pizza cutter, divide the circle into 12 even wedges.

Spoon the apple filling onto the dough using a scant teaspoon of filling for each wedge of dough.  Roll from the wide end like a crescent roll into the cookie.

Place the rugelach onto a baking sheet lined with a parchment or silicone mat.

Beat egg and water together to create an egg wash.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash evenly.  This will give the cookies a nice sheen.

Sprinkle each cookie with crystal sugar if desired for crunch and garnish.

Bake cookies, one pan at a time for between 15 and 18 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the top and the bottom.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Store these rugelach in an airtight container for up to a week.  I promise they won’t last that long.

I only made two dozen cookies with the amount of filling shown in this recipe.  I froze the remaining dough.  You can tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months.

Enjoy!