Chocolate Tahini Rugelach
Hanukkah wouldn’t be the same without fresh-baked rugelach. Our recipe uses the popular cream cheese dough and we’ve filled it with a sweet, chocolate tahini with a hint of orange. If you’ve always bought them from the bakery, make this the year you discover the joy of homemade for the holidays!
minimum 2 hours chilling time
(preferably overnight)
Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar
With a deeper caramel taste, it adds body to rich, decadent sweets like ganache, brownies, and gingerbread, or mocha anything. It’s also the classic choice for BBQ sauces and marinades, syrups, and more.
Redpath® Fliptop Vase with Granulated Sugar
Gorgeous and mess-free, you won’t want to hide this elegant container in the pantry. Skip the sugar bowl and put it out for tea or coffee with company; pouring out a spoonful couldn’t be easier.
For the dough:
- 1 cup (227 g) brick-style cream cheese, room temperature, and cubed 1 cup (227 g) brick-style cream cheese, room temperature, and cubed
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, cubed 1 cup (227 g) butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp (38 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar 3 tbsp (38 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
- 1½ tsp (7 ml) pure vanilla extract 1½ tsp (7 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp (2 g) salt ¼ tsp (2 g) salt
For the filling:
- ⅓ cup (83 ml) tahini ⅓ cup (83 ml) tahini
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) honey 3 tbsp (45 ml) honey
- 1 tbsp (6 g) orange zest, finely grated 1 tbsp (6 g) orange zest, finely grated
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- ⅓ cup (72 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed ⅓ cup (72 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (37 g) sesame seeds, lightly toasted ¼ cup (37 g) sesame seeds, lightly toasted
- 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped ½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
For the topping:
- 1 egg 1 egg
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) water 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
- Sesame seeds (optional), white and/or black Sesame seeds (optional), white and/or black
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Whisk Whisk
- 2 baking sheets 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper Parchment paper
- Rolling pin Rolling pin
- Chef's knife or pizza cutter Chef's knife or pizza cutter
Instructions
For the dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Add in the Redpath® Granulated Sugar and blend until fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.
Whisk together the flour and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Repeat process with the remaining dry ingredients; do not overmix.
Place dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat into an even disc. Wrap well and place into the fridge to chill; at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. See Chef’s Tips for an alternative method of dividing the dough.
For the filling:
In a bowl, stir together the room temperature tahini, honey, orange zest, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, toasted sesame seeds, and cinnamon, until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into 4 equal portions (unless it was previously divided).
Shape dough into a round and roll into a 10-inch circle, slightly less than ⅛-inch thick, between sheets of parchment paper, or on a lightly floured work surface. Repeat process with the remaining pieces of dough.
Evenly divide and spread the tahini filling over each of the rolled out circles of dough, leaving about ¼-inch of the edge of the circle free of filling.
Evenly divide and sprinkle the sugar-mixture over the tahini.
Evenly divide and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the circles of dough. Gently pat in the chocolate to ensure filling stays in place.
With a sharp chef’s knife or a pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 equal wedges.
Starting at the wide end, carefully roll each wedge towards the centre and place onto the prepared baking sheet with the point tucked under. Shape into crescent, if desired. Place into the fridge to chill; 15 minutes.
Whisk together the egg and water. Lightly brush each roll with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place baking sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until rugelachs are deep golden in colour. Rotate halfway through the baking process to ensure an even bake.
Remove from oven and let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer cookies onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Chef's Tip
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
*The dough can be made the day before and will be easier to handle.
*For even sized rounds, weigh dough after it has been made. Divide the dough weight by 4. Pat each dough into a round disc, wrap each round in plastic wrap, and place into the fridge to chill.
*To evenly divide the rolled out dough into 12 wedges, divide the circle into quarters. Divide each quarter into 3 evenly sized wedges.
*Ensure chocolate is finely chopped as any large pieces or sharp edges may pierce holes through the dough.
*Unbaked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place unbaked rolls (rolls should not be touching one another) onto a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Remove from baking sheet and place into an airtight container lined with parchment paper. Bake from frozen adding a few minutes to the baking time.