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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Jews make good food.

Seriously, Jews make good food: Kishka, Kugel, and, of course, the unsurpassed glory that is the Matzo Ball.

But among the cookies there is a treat that surpasses them all: The Rugelach.

Rugelach is a rolled cookie. The filling can be basically anything; raspberry or apricot jams are very popular. But why would I do that when I can fill them with chocolate? Why would anyone do that whey they could fill them with chocolate?! I just…

Rugelach dough is more like a pie dough than a true cookie. But don’t call this a pastry. It is most definitely a cookie. It’s just a cookie with flaky layers.

Unlike a pie dough, you want your ingredients room temp before combining them. The best way to do it is really with your hands, but with a rubber spatula is also acceptable. I wear food service gloves because the dough is quite sticky. Once it is combined, split the dough in half and form two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

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Since the ingredients were at room temp, the dough needs to chill for at least an hour before you try rolling it out. Even then it will be a messy process. Use a lot of flour on your board, your rolling pin, and sprinkle some on your dough for good measure.

Why not just add more flour to the dough to begin with? Because you don’t want to add too much flour or else you get tough cookies. The dough is supposed to be very elastic, and adding flour during the rolling phase means you only add enough to get it rolled out which can vary depending on the season.

For example: during the cooler months when I have used this dough as a pie crust, it takes very little flour to get this rolled out because the dough stays fairly cold. During the summer when California likes to do this:

You might want a little more flour to roll out the dough.

Before you get to that delightfully messy process, you need to prep your filling. In this case that means melting some chocolate chips in the microwave and mixing in espresso and cinnamon.

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After excessively flouring your board, cut one of your dough disks in half and roll it out into a rectangle about the size of a piece of paper. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread your filling over the dough, leaving a half inch border on all sides.

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Ooooooorrrrr, if you don’t feel like dealing with the mess that is melted chocolate, you can take the lazy route! Sprinkle it with chocolate chips, espresso powder, and cinnamon!

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Carefully roll your rugelach up lengthwise. Place onto your baking sheet seam side down. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until dough is firm.

While you wait, preheat your oven to 350F.

Once your tubes are firm, slice your rugelach into 1 inch pieces. Brush tops with an egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden, being careful not to get too distracted by your dog sunning himself in ridiculous places.

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Allow to cool completely and enjoy!

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