Easy Homemade Gluten Free Rugelach (Cream Cheese Cookies)

Rugelach (pronounced ROO-guh-lahkh) is one of the most beloved cookies in Jewish baking. These bite-sized crescent rolls are famous for their incredibly tender, flaky, and rich cream cheese dough, wrapped around sweet fillings like jam, cinnamon sugar, and nuts.

For anyone following a gluten-free diet, enjoying that traditional, melt-in-your-mouth texture can be a challenge—until now! Our recipe for Easy Homemade Gluten Free Rugelach maintains the integrity of the classic pastry, ensuring every bite is as delicate and flavorful as the original. It’s surprisingly simple to make and is absolutely perfect for holiday platters and gifting.

Why we love this gluten free rugelach recipe:

• Flaky Cream Cheese Dough: The combination of cream cheese and butter creates a uniquely tender, almost pastry-like dough.
• Easy Shaping: The dough is rolled into simple circles and cut into wedges, making shaping quick and fun.
• Naturally Rich: Dark meat stays juicy, absorbing the deep curry flavors better than white meat.
• Customizable: Easily swap out fillings to match your favorite flavors or holiday themes.

Ingredient Notes:

Cream Cheese: Use full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable kind from a tub. This provides the structure and richness needed for the dough. Ensure it’s fully softened.

Butter: Like the cream cheese, the butter must be unsalted and fully softened for smooth mixing and a tender dough.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Use a high-quality 1-to-1 or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum.

Filling: This classic filling relies on a blend of cinnamon, sugar, nuts (walnuts or pecans), and raisins.Jam,raspberries or chocolate chips can also be added.

Substitutions:

• Dairy-Free Option: This dough is difficult to make dairy-free due to the nature of cream cheese. However, some success can be achieved using solid, high-quality dairy-free cream cheese and butter sticks.
• Nuts: Pecans can easily be swapped for walnuts. Ensure they are finely chopped.
• Sugar: You can use light brown sugar in the filling for a slightly deeper molasses flavor.

What kind of fillings can you use?

The possibilities are endless!

• Traditional: Apricot jam, cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins.
• Chocolate: Mini chocolate chips, brown sugar, and a dash of cocoa powder.
• Poppy Seed: Traditional poppy seed paste (Mohn) thinned slightly with honey.
• Nutella: A thin spread of Nutella sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts.

How to Make Gluten Free Rugelach (Step-By-Step)

• Make Dough: Cream the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the sugar, vanilla, and GF flour until a cohesive dough forms. Wrap and chill thoroughly (at least 2 hours).

• Prep Filling: Mix all filling ingredients (cinnamon, sugar, nuts, raisins) in a bowl.
• Roll and Spread: Divide the chilled dough into four equal pieces. Roll one piece into a thin, 10-inch circle. Spread a thin layer of jam (if using) and sprinkle evenly with 1/4 of the filling mixture.

• Cut and Shape: Cut the circle into 12-16 equal wedges (like cutting a pizza). Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge toward the point to form a crescent shape.

• Bake: Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown.

Cookie Troubleshooting:

Why are my cookies flat, aka spread too much?

Rugelach should hold its crescent shape well. If they spread, the issue is likely due to:

• Over-softened butter/cream cheese: If they are too warm, the fat melts too quickly in the oven. Ensure your dough is well-chilled before rolling and baking.
• Too much sugar/too little flour: Ensure precise measuring, especially with the GF flour blend.

Why do my gluten-free cookies taste gritty?

Grittiness usually comes from specialty GF flours, like rice flour, which haven’t been ground finely enough.⁸ Using a high-quality, finely milled 1-to-1 blend is the best way to prevent this common GF issue.

How do you make cookies the same size?

For Rugelach, the best method is to divide the dough into equal sections (four is best), roll them into perfect circles using a template, and cut them into an equal number of wedges. A pizza cutter works perfectly for this task!

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Can I freeze the dough? Yes! Wrap the dough discs tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Can I freeze the baked cookies? Yes, the unglazed cookies freeze well. Place cooled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
• What’s the best way to store them? Store baked rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Quick and Easy Gluten Free Rugelach

Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
• Rolling pin
• 9-10 inch round template (like a plate)
• Pizza cutter or knife

Ingredients 1x2x3x

• 8 oz full-fat block cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 \1/2cups GF All-Purpose Flour Blend (with xanthan gum)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Filling

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup jam (apricot or raspberry), optional

Instructions

1. Make Dough: In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Gradually add the GF flour and mix until a soft dough forms.
2. Chill: Divide the dough into 4 equal discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
3. Prep Filling: In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nuts, and raisins.
4. Roll and Cut: Preheat oven to 375F, 190C. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough into a thin 10-inch circle.
5. Fill: Spread a very thin layer of jam (if using) over the circle. Sprinkle 1/4 of the dry filling mixture evenly over the jam, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
6. Shape: Cut the circle into 12-16 equal wedges using a pizza cutter. Starting at the wide end, tightly roll each wedge toward the point, forming a crescent.
7. Bake: Place the crescents on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Cool: Cool on a wire rack before serving or dusting with powdered sugar.

Notes

• Handle with Care: GF dough can be delicate. If the dough breaks while rolling, simply pinch it back together.
• Jam: If using jam, ensure it is a thick preserve and not too runny, or it will leak out during baking.

SPECIAL NOTE

If you want truly flaky cookies, grate your butter and cream cheese right into the flour instead of creaming them first. This method mimics pie dough and creates tiny pockets of fat.

Nutrition

(Note: This nutritional analysis is an estimate for one cookie, assuming 48 total cookies.)

Nutrient	Amount per Serving (Estimated)
Calories	95kcal
Protein	2 g
Fat	7 g
Saturated Fat	4 g
Carbohydrates	8 g
Fiber	0 g
Sugar	4 g
Cholesterol	15 mg
Sodium	45 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

All nutritional information provided is an estimate based on third-party calculators and assumes 48 equal servings. Values may vary significantly depending on the specific GF flour blend, whether jam is used, and the type of nuts used. This information is for general guidance only.