Easy Flaky Nutella Rugelach (Rogaliki) Recipe: A Homemade Delight
Welcome to a journey of delightful baking! If you’ve ever craved a tender, flaky pastry filled with the rich, irresistible taste of hazelnut chocolate, then you’re in the right place. These exquisite cookies, known as Rugelach in Jewish cuisine and often as Rogaliki in Eastern European kitchens, are a true testament to simple ingredients creating extraordinary flavors. Today, we’re taking this classic treat to a new level by filling them with everyone’s favorite spread: Nutella. The magic of Nutella is that it holds up beautifully during baking, transforming into a warm, gooey, chocolatey surprise within the delicate layers of dough.
This particular Nutella Rogaliki recipe holds a special place in my heart, passed down through generations. A big thank you goes to my wonderful aunt, who originally shared this treasure with me. Her wisdom and culinary expertise have made it possible to bring this perfectly balanced, flaky, and utterly delicious version of Rugelach to your home. While Nutella is our star today, feel free to explore other beloved fillings like fruit jams, cinnamon sugar, or poppy seed paste if you’re feeling adventurous. But for a truly decadent experience, trust me, Nutella is the way to go!
Why You’ll Love This Nutella Rogaliki (Rugelach) Recipe
What makes this homemade Rugelach recipe stand out? It’s all about the perfect blend of ingredients and a simple technique that yields incredible results. The dough, a rich combination of butter and cream cheese, is the secret to its signature tenderness and flakiness. Unlike many pastries that can be intimidating, this recipe is surprisingly forgiving and rewarding, even for novice bakers. Each bite offers a delightful contrast: the crisp, golden exterior giving way to a soft, layered interior, cradling a warm, melted pocket of hazelnut chocolate. They are perfect for breakfast, a coffee break, or as an elegant dessert for any gathering. Once you taste these fresh-from-the-oven delights, you’ll understand why they’re cherished across cultures.
Ingredients for Irresistible Nutella Rogaliki
Crafting these delectable pastries requires just a handful of quality ingredients. The key here is to ensure your butter and cream cheese are softened to the right consistency, making them easier to work into the flour for a cohesive dough.
Here’s what you’ll need for your delicious Rogaliki:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread), for filling
- Powdered sugar, for coating (optional, but highly recommended!)
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Nutella Rogaliki (Rugelach)
Follow these detailed instructions to create perfect, golden-brown Nutella-filled Rugelach right in your own kitchen. Remember, patience with chilling the dough is crucial for the best flaky texture!
1. Prepare the Dough Base
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and flour. Using a pastry blender, two knives, or even your fingertips, “cut” the butter into the flour. The goal is to break the butter into small, pea-sized pieces, coating them with flour. This process helps create those desirable flaky layers in the finished cookie. Continue until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and clumps together easily when squeezed. Avoid overworking the mixture at this stage.
2. Incorporate Cream Cheese and Sugar
Add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar to your butter-flour mixture. Continue to “cut” these new ingredients into the dough until everything is thoroughly combined and well incorporated. The mixture should start to come together more, but still be a bit crumbly. The cream cheese adds an incredible tenderness and richness to the dough, complementing the butter perfectly for that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
3. Add Egg Yolks and Chill the Dough
Now, stir in the egg yolks until they are fully blended into the dough. At this point, you might find it easiest to use your hands to gently bring the dough together. Lightly knead the mixture just enough to form a cohesive ball. Over-kneading can develop the gluten too much, leading to tough cookies, so be gentle! Once formed, cover the dough ball tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 45 minutes. Chilling is a critical step; it allows the butter to firm up, prevents the dough from sticking, and is essential for achieving the desired flaky texture in your Rugelach.
4. Roll and Divide the Dough
Once your dough is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Divide the entire dough ball equally into 6 smaller, manageable balls. This makes the rolling process much easier and ensures consistent cookie sizes. Take one ball of dough at a time and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out into an 8-inch (approximately 20 cm) circle. Keep the remaining dough balls refrigerated until you are ready to work with them to ensure they stay cool and firm. If the dough becomes too sticky or soft while rolling, don’t hesitate to pop it back into the fridge for a few minutes.
5. Fill and Shape Your Rugelach
Once you have an 8-inch circle, use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut it into 8 equal slices, much like cutting a pizza. Now comes the delicious part: the filling! Place about 1/4 teaspoon of Nutella onto the widest part of each slice, near the outer edge. Don’t overfill, as this can cause the Nutella to leak out during baking. Starting from the widest part, gently roll each slice towards the center, creating a beautiful small crescent or horn shape. Pinch the edges slightly to seal in the Nutella. The shape itself is charming, reminiscent of miniature croissants.
6. Prepare for Baking
Arrange your beautifully shaped Nutella Rugelach onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Parchment paper is essential to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze. Continue filling and shaping the remaining dough balls until your baking sheet is full. Crucially, keep the baking sheet with the shaped cookies refrigerated while you work on other batches, or until you are ready to bake. This maintains the cold temperature of the dough, which, as mentioned earlier, is absolutely vital for achieving that coveted flaky texture. Warm dough leads to less flakiness and a denser cookie.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection
Preheat your oven to 385 degrees F (195 degrees C). Once hot, place the chilled baking sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 22-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you’re looking for them to turn a beautiful light golden brown. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so trust your eyes and the wonderful aroma filling your kitchen. The slightly higher temperature helps to quickly set the butter, creating steam that puffs up the layers, contributing to the flakiness.
8. Finish and Enjoy
As soon as the cookies are out of the oven and still warm, generously dredge them in powdered sugar. The warm cookies will absorb the sugar beautifully, adding another layer of sweetness and a delightful finish. Allow them to cool slightly before serving, though they are absolutely divine when enjoyed still a little warm, with the Nutella filling still gooey. These homemade Nutella Rugelach are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, or simply as a satisfying snack.
Tips for Perfect Flaky Rogaliki Every Time
- Keep Your Ingredients Cold: This is arguably the most crucial tip. Cold butter and cream cheese are essential for creating pockets of steam during baking, which results in flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, chill your flour beforehand!
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Gentle handling prevents gluten from developing too much, keeping your cookies tender rather than tough.
- Chill, Chill, Chill: Not just after mixing, but also between rolling batches and before baking. The colder the dough, the flakier the end result.
- Don’t Overfill: A small amount of Nutella (about 1/4 teaspoon) is usually sufficient. Too much can cause it to ooze out and burn.
- Parchment Paper is Your Friend: It ensures easy cleanup and prevents sticking.
- Watch Your Oven: Every oven is different. Pay attention to visual cues like light golden-brown edges rather than strictly adhering to the exact baking time.
Variations and Other Delicious Fillings
While Nutella offers a universally loved hazelnut chocolate experience, the beauty of Rugelach and Rogaliki lies in their versatility. Feel free to experiment with other fillings to suit your taste or the occasion:
- Fruit Jams: Apricot, raspberry, or strawberry jams are classic choices. Ensure they are thick enough not to run.
- Cinnamon Sugar: A simple yet delightful mixture of cinnamon and sugar, perhaps with a sprinkle of finely chopped nuts.
- Poppy Seed Paste: A traditional Eastern European filling, offering a distinct flavor and texture.
- Chocolate & Nuts: Finely chopped dark chocolate with walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch.
- Cream Cheese & Raisin: A sweet cream cheese mixture with plump raisins for a richer, tangier option.
Serving and Storage
These Nutella Rogaliki are best enjoyed fresh, ideally while still warm from the oven with that gooey Nutella center. However, they store well too! Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm them in a low oven for a “freshly baked” experience.
Whether you call them Rugelach or Rogaliki, these Nutella-filled crescents are sure to become a cherished recipe in your household. They are perfect for holiday celebrations, weekend baking projects, or simply to satisfy a sweet craving. Enjoy the process and the incredibly delicious results!
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Nutella Rogaliki (Russian Rugelach Recipe)
Ingredients
Nutella Rugelach Dough
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2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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4 oz cream cheese softened
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2 large egg yolks
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1 tbsp granulated sugar
For Filling & Coating
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Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread), for filling
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Powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
Making Nutella Rogaliki from Scratch:
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In a large bowl, cut the softened butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and clumps together easily. Add in the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar, and continue to cut into the mixture until well incorporated.
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Stir in the egg yolks until blended. Gently knead the dough lightly to form a cohesive ball. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes to ensure proper chilling.
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Remove chilled dough and divide it into 6 equal balls. Working with one ball at a time (keep the rest refrigerated), roll it into an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut the circle into 8 slices. Place about 1/4 teaspoon of Nutella onto the widest part of each slice and roll it towards the center to create a small crescent.
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Place the shaped Rogaliki onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate the baking sheet while you continue to shape the remaining cookies, or until the sheet is full and ready for baking.
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Preheat your oven to 385 degrees F (195°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 22-25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown.
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Dredge the warm baked cookies generously into powdered sugar. Serve warm and enjoy these delightful Nutella Rogaliki!