SUBSCRIBE

Chocolate Israeli Style Rugelach

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

This yeast based cookie is a staple in Israel.

FacebookLinkedInXPrintFriendlyShare
Food 4 Thought
Eat with health and wellness in mind. Yes, we can enjoy the foods that we eat, but in proper measure and not at the expense of our bodies. As Maimonides, the famous rabbi, philosopher and doctor of 12th century Spain writes, “Bodily health and wellbeing are part of the path to God, for it is impossible to understand or have any knowledge of the Creator when one is sick. Therefore one must avoid anything that may harm the body and one must cultivate healthful habits.” When we choose to eat healthy we are making a statement that our eating is not an end in and of itself, but rather a means to help us to become our best selves and live our greatest lives. Learn more about how to make eating more spiritual.

Israeli style rugelach are yeast based and are very similar to croissants, read more about their history and similarities here. They are commonly found throughout Israel at open air markets and bakeries. The most popular filling is chocolate and they are usually covered in a sweet sugar syrup after baking. You can also find halva or halva mixed with chocolate for a modern Israeli version and many times they are sprinkled with sesame seeds too. Israeli rugelach differ from American rugelach which are more flaky and made with cream cheese. Get our recipe for American rugelach here.

Did you know that the Kabbalah says that eating is a powerful spiritual act? It teaches that mindful eating helps to elevate the entire food chain. Get more Jewish food thoughts here.

Ingredients

Servings 32 cookies

For the dough:

  • 1 ¾ cup 224g all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tablespoons 31 g sugar, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup 80 g warm water, divided
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons 7 g active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup 54 g oil
  • 1 egg

For the chocolate filling:

  • 8 ounces shaved bittersweet chocolate
  • ¼ cup sugar

For the glaze:

  • 1 beaten egg for an egg wash
  • ½ cup of granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup of water
Instructions

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Israeli Style Rugelach
Amount per Serving
Calories
108
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
11
mg
4
%
Sodium
 
42
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
54
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
8
g
9
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
18
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
0.001
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
7
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if mixing by hand. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt.
  • In a separate bowl combine water and yeast and remaining ½ tablespoon sugar. Stir and let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add oil and egg and mix well.
  • Add yeast mixture to flour and mix on low until it starts to come together, use the dough hook of a mixer to knead 8-10 minutes on medium speed. You can knead by hand if you don’t have a mixer.
  • Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise 1 to 1 and ½ hours until doubled in size.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a small bowl mix chocolate with sugar. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  • Punch down the dough and cut in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle about ¼-inch thick. Use a dinner plate and paring knife to trim edges. Spread filling over surface of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using a sharp knife, pastry wheel, or pizza cutter, cut disk into 16 equal wedges. Starting from the wide end of each long triangle, roll up and press on the pointy end to seal. Place seam side down on prepared sheet pan. Repeat with remaining triangles, working quickly and placing cookies about 2 inches apart. Brush with egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the glaze by adding the water to a saucepan on medium heat. Then add the sugar and stir until the sugar melts. Simmer for 1 minute. When the rugelach are done baking, pour the glaze onto the rugelach while they are still hot. The rugelach soak up the delicious glaze.

Video

Notes

The cookies can be covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don’t defrost before baking, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Click here to comment on this article

MORE RECIPES

TRENDING on Aish.com

guest
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Laurie
Laurie
2 years ago

There are no directions, just ingredients.

tamarg
tamarg
2 years ago
Reply to  Laurie

On mobile the directions are found by pressing on the tab for instructions on the top of the recipe

EXPLORE
LEARN
MORE
Explore
Learn
Resources
Next Steps
About
Donate
Menu
Languages
Menu
Social
.