Rugelach- Fig/Cognac Jam, Pistachio,Orange For Fiesta Friday #48
Rugelach
I am making another batch of my rugelach, the very one I put in my gift boxes, I always make a double batch of the dough because invariably I need to make more to give away after Christmas. This new batch is the same but I decided to add some chopped pistachio and a hint of candied orange peel (chopped really fine). Since I am baking for friends and you all are my friends right, I made enough to bring with me to the party hosted by the lonesome and totally awesome Angie@The Novice Gardener, I only say lonesome because this week she gave everyone the week off, no co hosts. Don’t worry Angie you won’t be lonesome for long, soon your house will be filled with eager party goers.
orange and pistachios added
Makes 4 dozen
The Dough and filling:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar + more for sprinkling on cookies
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup pistachio’s- chopped
2 tbs finely chopped candied orange peel
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 cup fig jam
egg wash
sugar for sprinkling
1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
looks like dukkah
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the cream cheese and butter until light. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla. With mixer on low add the flour and mix just to combine. Dump dough onto work surface form into a ball cut into four quarters and wrap each in plastic wrap, refrigerate for one hour
Place pistachio (if they are not toasted already) on parchment lined sheet pan and toast in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes (just until you can smell the nuts). Once the nuts have cooled enough to handle, and add the brown sugar cardamom and ginger, orange and chopped pistachio. Set aside.
Remove one of the dough quarters from the refrigerator, roll into a circle on floured work surface. Note: The dough should be cold when rolling, do not let the dough sit out and come to room temperature, it will get too sticky and you want to avoid using a lot of flour if at all possible. I use the lid of my dutch oven to cut an even circle. Spread jam on the dough round, sprinkle nut/sugar mixture on top of the jam and press down gently with your hand. Cut into quarters and cut each quarter into 3 pieces. Roll from widest end to smallest.
ready to roll
Place each rugelach on parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash and sprinkle some sugar on each. Put in freezer for 15 minutes before baking. While they are in freezer pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove to cooling rack.
fresh from the oven
flaky and delicious
apuginthekitchen 
It’s a gorgeous dish, Suzanne. And all the photos of the stages are beautiful too.
Wishing you all good things. Hugs!
Thanks Teagan, it’s a re run with the exception of a couple of additions but it’s really good Thanks and Happy New Year!!
I am so craving for it now Suzanne! Yumm.
Thanks so much, I like these more than the original that I made, the pistachio and orange really added to the overall flavor profile.
Pistachios do wonder to any dish!
These look so very tasty and pretty. Love the pistachios idea! 🙂
I don’t know why I didn’t think of pistachio’s before this, they are wonderful in the cookie. Thanks so much Ronit.
I make Rugelach often, and use pistachios in so many recipes, but never in Rugelach – so that’s exactly what I was thinking… 😀
I will definitely use them next time I make Rugelach. 🙂
Oh would love to grab a couple of these Suzanne, the ingredients sound wonderful, especially the cognac jam :). Happy holidays to you, and best wishes for 2015.
Thank you, everything goes together so well, I am a rugelach fan and every year I make them a little different, thats one of things I love about them, the filling can be changed to suit your taste. Thanks Loretta.
Oh gheesh Suzanne, I could have eaten a raw one before you rolled it and baked it! These are totally awesome and I’m very impressed! Can you send me some like right now?
Thanks Sue, gladly I would send you some. I know where you live you may get a surprise.
Haha I was joking/not joking😘
I would love to send some your way.
I may be lonesome (well, not anymore now) but I’m happy! Looking at your rugelach makes me happy. And you know what, I’ve never made rugelach before! I know, I know…..it’s high time! I have to try yours immediately. Looks so good!!
LOL, Thanks Angie, nope not lonesome anymore all the party people and great food is good company. Love making rugelach, so easy to do, just make sure the dough is cold when you roll it out. I use a lid to my dutch oven to make a round that is easy to cut and divide. Hope you like and thank you.
Love the sound of the filling. I have never made rugelach either, must give it a try! Thanks for sharing.
They are really good, if you give a try hope you like. Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy New Year.
The rugelach looks just wonderful Suzanne & I love the holiday colors in it! Lovely 🙂
Thank you, I love how red the fig jam is. Rugelach always make me think of the holidays.
This looks too good Suzanne. Love the clmbination of ingredients here.
Thanks Sadia, it is a really lovely combination.
Rugelach is perfect for the holidays. I went to a dinner last weekend, and the hostess wanted to know if was bringing some of my rugelach 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day yesterday!
It was nice Susan thank you. I do love rugelach there is something about the bite size flaky buttery little bites that is just so wonderful. Thanks so much and Happy New Year!!
Hey Suzanne, I’ll take 5 dozen-airmail overnight, Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Cheryl
Send me your address!!
You are too precious, my friend. Cheryl
PS I love FOOD 52!
I’m totally serious, send to me. You may not get 5 doz but I will send some. Yes love food52!
Hi Suzanne, Oh my gracious these are so scrumptious! I made them today and I can not (nor can anyone else-adults) stop eating them! Thank you so much for sharing this great, fabulous, delicious recipe!!! Your Florida Friend. Cheryl
You made them, wow, thank you. I am tickled that you made and enjoyed the cookies. Thank you so much for letting me know. It makes me so happy when someone likes what I do. Thank you.
That looks great! I love rugelach, this variation sounds wonderful 🙂
Thanks June, it’s a really delicious combination. Happy Holidays!
This sounds amazing! What a great combination for the filling! Anything with pistachios sounds great to me:)
Yes, I love pistachio’s, they are wonderful in the rugelach. Thank you so much.
What a wonderful rugelach! It looks delicious! I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing such a lovely post. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and all the best in 2015. ❤ 🙂
Thank you Arl. I also wish you and yours a great new year, hoping 2015 is the best ever. The rugelach are fun to make. It’s one of my favorite cookies.
The combination of flavors sounds so interesting! Looks delicious!
Thank you, it is a really nice combination. I think Fig would have fun making these cookies,
I agree! We will have to try!
Ohh these look so gorgeous! I definitely need to start working on my rugelach skills haha 🙂
Nothing to it, you are very skilled. Thank you so much.
Haha thanks! 😀 I’ll give this recipe a try and maybe I’ll have more luck.
It’s super easy, just make sure your dough is cold, spread jam, sprinkle the nut/sugar mixture, press down lightly, cut circle in half, then cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 pieces roll from the widest to the narrowest. You can do it no problem.
If you have a marble board use that it keeps the dough cool.
I bet they are flaky and delicious. Only for the fact I baked last night – tunis cake – I would try these. I still have 7 mini-cakes to get through. And that’s after stuffing my face with one of them. Maybe for N Year!
I only ate one, gave the rest away. Tunis cake, have to look that up, not sure I’ve heard of it but if you made it I know its wonderful. Thanks Johnny!
Oh my- this looks enticing Suzanne, love the teaming if orange and nuts… wonderful….:)
Thanks Chitra, I am really happy with how they taste. Thank you.
I love the fillings, candied orange peel and pistachios. I like how you cut the pieces form and round dough.
Thanks Fae, the filling is delicious, I was thinking it would be really nice with the candied orange in baklava. Never made it but want to try one day.
Definitely coming back for seconds! Happy Holiday Suzanne – from us (4)
Thank you Stacey wishing all 4 a very happy New Year.
The combination of all these flavors looks gorgeous, Suzanne 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Thanks so much Linda. It’s a lovely combination.
Pistachios are good in anything really, and this combination is so lovely decadent ! I hope you are having great Holidays !
Hope you are also, thank you and I couldn’t agree more about pistachio’s my favorite nut.
Pistachios are a lovely addition to this already fabulous little pastry! Happy FF Suzanne!
Thanks so much Margot and same to you.
Wow feel like having a bigggg portion.. Super tempting
Thank you, it’s really good and easy to pop in ones mouth they are so small.
Oh my goodness this looks amazing. My Grandma is reading this over my shoulder, and I’m pretty sure you’ve set her mind off 100 mph thinking up new ideas like this! I hope your Christmas was lovely.
LOL, I love experimenting with different flavors and rugelach are the perfect vehicle. Thanks so much Katherine.
These look delicious Suzanne, I love anything with fig or pistachios in so these are right up my street! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas x
You to Michelle, thank you so much.
yum yum yum! Wishing I could grab one off the screen and dip it in coffee. Your kitchen must always smell amazing 🙂
No always, LOL. Thanks so much Liz. Happy New Years to you and yours.
They look so good x
Thanks so much Elaine, Happy New Year to you and your family!!
And to you xx
I’ve never made rugelach, but love every single ingredient in them. I am really using more orange than ever and it’s such a fresh ingredient this time of year.
I love flavoring with orange. It’s got such a wonderful flavor and adds so much to food. I love it can be used in savory or sweet also. Thanks so much Julie.
Despite the fact that I have overeaten madly today, once I saw your pictures I wanted one or two (well, maybe three) of these beauties. 😉
They are so little there is always room for one or two rugelach, thank you for you sweet comment.
They look so cute, Suzanne! What a labour of love 🙂
Thank you Ginger, they are and I love making them.
This rugelach looks amazing! I love the combination of flavors, especially the pistachios. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Thanks Christin, yes the pistachio’s are such a wonderful addition. Just about my favorite nut and I thought they would go so nicely with the fig jam. My Christmas was nice, hope you had a great Christmas and wishing you a very happy New Year.
I had a friend who used to make these, and I failed to get the recipe from her. Also, I didn’t know what they were called, so I now I know and can use yours. They look just as good as hers.
So glad that this recipe will come in handy, thank you so much Hilda.
Oh gosh Suzanne these are so gorgeous. I LOVE pistachios and really, really love that you added them. I bought some to use for some holiday Christmas recipes and I just couldn’t get it done in time, so I guess I will just have to make and photograph and save until next year, haha! Anyways, I’m glad you are sharing how to make these…I wouldn’t have known and it inspires me to try some myself, seriously! They look so incredibly delicious and it gives me so many ideas.
I am still making Christmas cookies and loaves, I just didn’t have time to do everything before Christmas. They are good, love rugelach. How would you veganize? I know you could use vegetable shortening instead of butter but what would you sub for cream cheese, is there a tofu or vegetable based cream cheese on the market? Just wondered because if it can be done they would be a great treat. Thanks Brandi and happy New Year.
I tried making rugelach many months back but failed quite badly at the attempt. Looking at your delicious regelach is making me want to try my hand at making them again! Have a happy new year!
Hi Jasline, oh you should try again. Just make sure the dough is cold when you roll it out. It really is a wonderfully handling dough but it has to be cold. They are delicious and really easy to make. Thank you.
Thanks for the tip Suzanne! I think my dough wasn’t cold enough and the humid and hot weather here in Singapore just doesn’t help much. Will try it again some day!
Delicious, Suzanne! I love the combination of figs with any nuts… yet, the pistachios are such a natural pairing. Duh… why didn’t I think of that? 🙂 From the looks of your photos, you have that rolling thing down pat… absolute perfection!
I know right, never thought of using pistachio’s and they are a natural pairing. Thanks Nancy, yes I pretty much have the rolling thing down pat, I did however make the mistake of leaving the dough out too long and it warmed, not a good thing. Hence the disclaimer about cold dough in bold typeface. LOL, thanks so much and Happy New Year.
These look so lovely and delicious! I’ve never made these before, but have always wanted to give it a try. I’m now inspired! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Sarah and thank you so much.
I am so loving your rugelach. It looks so darn delicious. Now I’m definitely hungry and need to make dinner lol.
Lol just made another batch still teying to catch up with holiday cookie making it will continue through New Years i think. Thank you.
I love rugelach and the addition of pistachios and candied orange must have given them a delicious kick! Very happy New Year to you Suzanne! May 2015 be another year of delicious creations for you!
Thank you Katerina and the same to you!!
What a yummy-sounding recipe! Sounds great with the pistachios!
Thanks Nancy, the pistachio’s were a great addition.
Goodness – these are just gorgeous. Oh the lucky recipients of your Christmas gift boxes…. 😉
Thank you I look forward to making them every year.
Oh, Suzanne, even though it’s after Christmas, I think I may give this a try. It looks absolutely delicious and together with your pictures, I believe their may be some ‘hope’ for me!!! Thank you! Happy New Year, too!!
Thank you Kim, I am still making them. Last night a dozen and tomorrow will make another dozen. They really are easy and so delicious. Happy New Year to you and yours. I enjoy your blog, it’s inspirational.
Thank you, Suzanne. I think tomorrow will be ‘shopping’ day for your delicious dish! Only me and my husband home, although our boys will certainly be stopping by to raid our cupboards. I’m excited as I’m not much of a baker, but you really do ‘walk’ me through it! Thank you for your support together with all of your kind words. I very much appreciate you! FYI: “Doodles” is almost out of REHAB!
Oh do let me know how it goes, if you have any questions email me. I will answer, I am thrilled that Doodles is doing well and will be done with Rehab soon, it’s so hard but our little furry friends are such troopers. Keep me apprised. Thank you for trying this.
Wow Suzanne! They must be amazing amazing! Love all the ingredients you’ve used!
Thank you so much!