Apricot Pecan Rugelach
These buttery, flaky Apricot Pecan Rugelach cookies are filled with apricot jam, honey and chopped pecans. They're so flavourful and delicious, and are a perfect holiday cookie!
Servings 48 cookies
Ingredients
The Dough
- 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter at room temperature, cut into chunks
- 1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature, cut into chunks
- 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean pod (the seeds) (optional) scrape out the seeds from the centre
The Filling
- 2 cups pecans see tips
- 3/4 cup apricot jam see tips
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
The Cookie Dough:
- In a bowl sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, 1/8 tsp salt
- Add the chunks of butter and cream cheese to a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy.1 cup butter, 1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese
- Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds to the butter mixture. Mix well.1/2 tsp grated lemon zest, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 vanilla bean pod (the seeds)
- Add the flour mixture and mix well.
- Work the dough into a ball, then split the dough into 2 balls.
- Flatten each ball into a 6 inch disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours.
- Now make the filling.
The Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the nuts evenly out onto a baking sheet. Toast the nuts in the oven for 6 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch carefully, and don't burn them!2 cups pecans
- To a food processor add the toasted nuts, jam, honey and cinnamon. Combine until the pecans are coarsely ground.3/4 cup apricot jam, 1 1/2 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Putting it all together:
- After the dough has rested and chilled for the required time, take out one disc at a time from the fridge, it's time to roll it! (leave the other disc dough in the fridge until you are ready to work with it)
- Generously dust a clean work surface with about 2 tbsp to 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. (the more the better!)
- With a rolling pin roll the dough out into a 16 inch circle of even thickness. If the dough is too stiff, just knead it in your hands for a bit.
- Using half of the jam filling, spread it out evenly onto the dough, leaving about a 1 cm space from the edge.
- Using a knife slice the dough first into 4 equal quarters.
- Then slice each quarter into 6 equal pieces.
- It's time to roll the rugelach! For each wedge, start from the edge of the dough and roll to the centre.
- Roll, roll, roll until you have a cute little crescent!
- Then take each dough crescent, generously dust it with powdered sugar, and place on a cookie sheet. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 14-18 minutes, until the tops start turning golden brown.
- Immediately remove them from the pan, and place them on a wire cooling rack.
- Generously dust them with powdered sugar again.
- Repeat all the above steps for the second disc of dough and the remaining jam/nut filling.