Recipe

Walnut & Jam Rugelach

Flaky cream cheese dough spirals with apricot jam, cinnamon sugar, and toasted walnuts, baked until crisp at the edges and golden all over.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A single real photograph of golden walnut and apricot jam rugelach arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet with visible spirals and crisp edges, warm kitchen lighting

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Rugelach is one of those cookies that looks fancy enough to bring to a holiday party, but the process is basically: make a super forgiving cream cheese dough, roll it out, smear on jam, shower it with cinnamon sugar and walnuts, then slice and bake. That is my kind of baking math.

This version goes big on contrast. Tender, tangy pastry from the cream cheese. Sweet, bright apricot jam. Toasty walnuts. And a cinnamon sugar layer that melts into the spiral so every bite has that cozy, bakery vibe. If you have ever wanted a cookie that feels like a gift, this is it.

A single real photograph of a round of cream cheese rugelach dough being rolled out on a lightly floured countertop with a wooden rolling pin

Why It Works

Flaky, tender texture without drama: Cream cheese dough stays pliable and bakes up delicate, not tough.
Big flavor from simple pantry staples: Jam plus cinnamon sugar plus walnuts hits sweet, spicy, and nutty in one swipe.
Clean spirals and crisp edges: Chilling the dough and chilling the shaped cookies helps them hold their shape and bake evenly.
Holiday-friendly: Rugelach stores well, travels well, and looks impressive in a tin.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for about 3 to 4 days. If your kitchen runs warm or humid, tuck them in a cool pantry so the jam does not get sticky.

Refrigerator: They keep up to 1 week, but refrigeration can dry them out and dull the texture. Let them sit at room temp for 20 minutes before serving.

Freezer (baked): Freeze in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. For extra crisp edges, warm in a 300°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

Freezer (unbaked, best for gifting later): Freeze shaped, sliced rugelach on a tray until solid. Store frozen up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 4 minutes.

Holiday gifting tip: Layer in a tin with parchment between layers. If you brush with egg wash and sprinkle coarse sugar, they look especially gift-ready.

Common Questions

Do I have to use apricot jam?

Nope. Apricot is classic because it is bright and not too sweet, but raspberry, strawberry, cherry, or orange marmalade all work. Choose a thicker jam or preserves so it stays put when you roll.

Why is my rugelach leaking jam?

A little leakage is normal. To reduce it: use a thin layer of jam, leave a small border (especially near the outer edge), chill the rolled dough before slicing, and bake on parchment so cleanup is easy. If your jam is runny, simmer it for a minute or two to thicken, then cool before using.

How do I keep the cookies from unrolling?

Roll them snug but not aggressive, then place each piece on the pan with the seam side down and the point tucked underneath. A quick chill after shaping helps them set.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes so it rolls without cracking.

Should I toast the walnuts?

Highly recommended. Toasting for 6 to 8 minutes at 350°F wakes up the flavor and keeps the nuts tasting nutty instead of just crunchy. Stir once halfway and pull them when they smell fragrant.

What if I do not have a food processor?

You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer. Mix butter, cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth, then mix in flour just until combined. Do not overmix.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Bench scraper or sharp knife (pizza cutter works too)
Baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Pastry brush (for egg wash)
Cooling rack

The first time I made rugelach, I expected a fussy pastry project and got a cookie you can basically freestyle. You roll, you smear, you sprinkle, you spiral. It is the kind of baking that feels like hanging out in the kitchen with someone who keeps saying, “Try a little more cinnamon. Trust me.” Now it is my go-to when I want to show up with something that looks like I had my life together all week, even if I absolutely did not.

Walnut & Jam Rugelach

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 22 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 12 mins

Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients

Cream cheese dough

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, cold and cubed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

3/4 cup apricot jam or preserves (use a thicker style)
1 cup (100 g) walnuts, finely chopped (toast them for best flavor)
1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

To finish

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons coarse sugar or sparkling sugar (optional)

A single real photograph of apricot jam in a small bowl next to chopped walnuts and a bowl of cinnamon sugar on a kitchen counter, baking prep scene

Instructions

Make the dough

Mix the dry ingredients. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar a few times to combine.
Cut in butter and cream cheese. Add cold butter and cream cheese. Pulse until you have damp crumbs with some pea-size bits. Add vanilla and pulse just until a shaggy dough forms. If mixing by hand or mixer, stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Divide and chill. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press together. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Flatten each into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

Prep the filling

Toast the walnuts (recommended). Bake walnuts on a sheet pan at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once halfway, until fragrant. Cool and chop.
Make cinnamon sugar. In a bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Roll, fill, and shape

Heat the oven. Preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Roll one disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough disk into a circle about 9 to 10 inches wide and about 1/8-inch thick. If it cracks at the edges, let it sit at room temperature for 2 minutes, then roll again. If the dough starts to feel sticky, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Spread jam. Spread a thin, even layer of apricot jam over the dough. Leave about a 1/2-inch border at the outer edge and a small clean spot right at the center if you want less squeeze-out when rolling.
Sprinkle the good stuff. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Lightly press so it sticks.
Cut wedges. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the circle into 8 wedges.
Roll into crescents. Starting from the wide edge, roll each wedge up toward the point. Place on the baking sheet seam side down, with the point tucked underneath.
Repeat. Repeat with remaining dough disks and filling, working one disk at a time so the dough stays cold.
Chill the tray. Refrigerate shaped rugelach for 15 to 20 minutes. This helps them hold their shape and bake up flakier.

Bake

Egg wash. Whisk egg with water. Brush each cookie lightly and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
Bake until golden. Bake 20 to 24 minutes, rotating and swapping racks halfway if baking two sheets at once, until deeply golden at the edges and the bottoms are lightly browned.
Cool. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Rugelach crisps as it cools.

A single real photograph of unbaked rugelach spirals arranged seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ready for the oven

A single real photograph of freshly baked golden rugelach cooling on a wire rack with visible walnut pieces and glossy tops

Nutrition information is estimated.

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