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  • Pistachio and Dried-Apricot Rugelach
    • prep: 60 minutes
    • servings: 32
    Nutritional Info

    Summary

    Simmered dried apricots with a hint of vanilla are a perfect combination of tart and sweet. (We tested apricot jam in this filling, and it wasn't the same!) The mixture is slathered on rounds of cream-cheese dough, which is sliced into wedges and rolled into crescents before baking. The dough and filling can be made a couple of days in advance and refrigerated to make assembly easier (the dough disks wrapped in plastic, the filling in an airtight container).

    Ingredients

    2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

    8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

    1/4 cup granulated sugar

    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

    2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

    2 cups dried apricots

    2/3 cup granulated sugar

    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Pinch of kosher salt

    1 cup shelled pistachios, preferably Sicilian

    1 large egg, lightly whisked

    Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

    Instructions

    Dough: In the bowl of an
    electric mixer, beat butter with
    cream cheese, granulated sugar,
    and salt on medium-high speed
    until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add
    flour and beat on low until just
    combined. Divide dough into
    3 disks; wrap each in plastic and
    refrigerate until firm, at least
    1 hour and up to overnight.
    Filling: In a small saucepan,
    bring apricots, 1 1/3 cups water,
    granulated sugar, vanilla, and
    salt to a boil. Reduce heat to
    low; simmer until apricots are
    tender and most of liquid has
    been absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes.
    Transfer apricot mixture to a
    food processor and pulse until
    smooth. Let cool completely.
    (You should have about 2 cups
    filling; if not, thin slightly with
    water, a teaspoon at a time.)
    Meanwhile, finely grind pistachios
    in food processor. On a
    lightly floured surface, roll out
    one disk of dough to a 10-inch
    circle, 1/8 inch thick. Spread
    evenly with 2/3 cup apricot mixture.
    Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ground
    pistachios. With a pizza wheel,
    cut circle into quarters, then cut
    each quarter in half, then in half
    again, so you have 16 wedges.
    Starting at outside edge of each
    wedge, roll up into a crescent
    shape. Arrange 1 inch apart on
    a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    Brush with beaten egg, and
    sprinkle with sanding sugar and
    1 tablespoon ground pistachios.
    Refrigerate until firm, about
    30 minutes. Repeat with remaining
    dough.
    Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake,
    rotating sheets halfway through,
    until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
    Transfer rugelach on sheets
    to wire racks; let cool completely.
    Rugelach can be stored in
    an airtight container at room
    temperature up to 3 days.