Veganizing our favorite dishes is often simple, requiring only the substitution of plant-based ingredients for those ingredients that come from animals. Rugelach is a classic Hannukah cookie and our compassionate version reimagines this beloved treat and loses nothing in the translation. The cookie is made with a simple dough and a sweet filling all rolled up and baked till tender and cakey. If you have kids, let them get in on the fun because the process is a little bit like making pizza. Little hands can spread the filling and help with rolling the slices of dough into crescent shapes. With a recipe yield of about 48 cookies, you'll have plenty for giving and eating.
Using a mixer, cream together the vegan butter and cream cheese until fully blended. Add the sugar and vanilla, blend again. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap gently then refrigerate for one hour.
Make the filling by pulsing together in a food processor the sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts until well combined. The mixture should resemble coarse sand.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Liberally flour a clean surface. Unwrap the dough, place it on the floured surface and cut it into four equal portions. Working with the first portion, press down with your hands, forming a disc.
Use a rolling pin and start in the center, roll outward until a 9-inch circle is formed. Think of this process like making a pizza. You will roll out a circle, spread preserves, sprinkle with topping, and then cut into slices that will be rolled up into crescents.
Spread two heaping tablespoons of apricot preserves on the dough, without leaving a border.
Sprinkle about a 1/2 cup of filling on top of preserves and gently press into dough. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the circle into 4 quarters and then cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces, like pizza slices.
Starting on the outer edge of the circle, roll each slice inward to create a crescent.
Place cookies with the narrow tip underneath on the prepared baking trays. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough. Brush each cookie with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar. Alternatively, you can glaze these with remaining apricot preserves instead of milk.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. The apricot filling may pool a little on the baking tray, and look darker than the actual underneath of the cookies, so don’t worry that they are burning. Remove the cookies before they are too brown though, this should be a tender cookie. Let cool and serve.
Using a mixer, cream together the vegan butter and cream cheese until fully blended. Add the sugar and vanilla, blend again. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap gently then refrigerate for one hour.
Make the filling by pulsing together in a food processor the sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts until well combined. The mixture should resemble coarse sand.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Liberally flour a clean surface. Unwrap the dough, place it on the floured surface and cut it into four equal portions. Working with the first portion, press down with your hands, forming a disc.
Use a rolling pin and start in the center, roll outward until a 9-inch circle is formed. Think of this process like making a pizza. You will roll out a circle, spread preserves, sprinkle with topping, and then cut into slices that will be rolled up into crescents.
Spread two heaping tablespoons of apricot preserves on the dough, without leaving a border.
Sprinkle about a 1/2 cup of filling on top of preserves and gently press into dough. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the circle into 4 quarters and then cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces, like pizza slices.
Starting on the outer edge of the circle, roll each slice inward to create a crescent.
Place cookies with the narrow tip underneath on the prepared baking trays. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough. Brush each cookie with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar. Alternatively, you can glaze these with remaining apricot preserves instead of milk.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. The apricot filling may pool a little on the baking tray, and look darker than the actual underneath of the cookies, so don’t worry that they are burning. Remove the cookies before they are too brown though, this should be a tender cookie. Let cool and serve.
