Tender shortcrust vanilla rugelach with ground almonds — delicate cookies that melt on the tongue. The dough comes together quickly from six easy-to-find ingredients, and the rugelach bake in just 10–15 minutes. They are ideal with a cup of tea or coffee and make a lovely homemade gift.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups | 300 g all-purpose flour
- 8 oz | 225 g cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup | 120 g powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup | 100 g ground blanched almonds
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp | 10 g vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
Step-by-Step Recipe
- Sift the flour and powdered sugar into a bowl, add the ground almonds, and mix well.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and quickly work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla extract (or add the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean). Pour into the crumbs and quickly bring the dough together until smooth, without overworking it.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes so it firms up.
- Preheat the oven to 356°F | 180°C, top-and-bottom heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pinch off small portions of dough, roll into logs about 3/8–5/8 inch | 1–1.5 cm thick, and shape into crescents. Arrange on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Do not overbake — the cookies should stay pale.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Dust lightly with extra powdered sugar, if desired.
📹 Watch the video recipe on our Telegram channel: @alwaysyummy
📹 Watch video recipe in our Telegram channel
Tips and Variations
- If you use a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and stir them into the eggs; dry the empty pod and tuck it into a jar of sugar for fragrance.
- For the most crumbly rugelach, work quickly with cold ingredients and knead the dough no longer than necessary.
- After chilling, the dough becomes more pliable and less prone to crumbling when shaping — don’t skip this step.
- Want a stronger vanilla note? Use vanilla powder for a light dusting over the cooled rugelach.
- Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 1–2 weeks; the aroma deepens each day.
Nutritional Value
Approximate nutrition per 1 rugelach (from 30 pieces).
| Nutrition | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 132 kcal |
| Protein | 2.3 g |
| Fat | 8.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.0 g |
| Sugar | 6.0 g |
| Fiber | 0.7 g |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
FAQ
What can I use instead of ground almonds in the dough?
You can use ground hazelnuts or cashews. The flavor will change, but the texture will remain short and crumbly. Peanuts give a stronger aroma and a slightly coarser crumb.
Can vanilla sugar replace the extract?
Yes, replace part of the powdered sugar with vanilla sugar to taste. Keep in mind that the aroma will be gentler than with extract or a fresh vanilla bean.
How should I store them, and can rugelach be frozen?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1–2 weeks. Both baked rugelach and unbaked shaped dough can be frozen for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.