Ingredients
- 1 disk rugelach dough
- Egg wash 1 egg mixed with 1 tsp water
- Sugar for sprinkling on top
Apple Filling
- 3 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced (honey crisp or others that keep their shape)*
- 1/4 cup / 50g brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup raisins optional
Almond Paste Filling
- 4 oz / 112g almond paste broken up into small pieces
- 1/4 cup / 50g granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz / 112g cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup / 60g confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- On a well-floured silicone mat, roll the disk of rugelach dough to a 1/8-inch thick rectangle. Use a 3 1/2-inch round cutter to cut out 12 circles. You may need to gather and re-roll the dough in order to get the full amount from the dough. Don’t be tempted to roll the dough too thin to get 12 in one go.
- Refrigerate the circles while making the fillings.
Apple Filling
- In a medium saucepot cook the apples, brown sugar, salt, lemon juice over medium-low heat until the apples are tender and the juices are cooked dry. Add raisins if using. Allow to cool completely before using. Can be made a few days in advance.
- Choose ONE of the following fillings as the base under the apples.
Almond Paste Filling
- In a food processor, pulse together the almond paste, sugar, yolks, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Once it comes together, process for 1 or two minutes until smooth.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sugar with a stiff rubber spatulas or wooden spoon, until smooth. Add the yolk, vanilla and cinnamon.
Assembly
- Lay the disks on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.**
- Put a #100 portion scoop (2 tsp) of either the almond paste or cream cheese filling on half of the disk. Use the back of a spoon to spread it slightly. This will make it easier to keep the apple filling in place. Add about 1 ½ tablespoons apple filling over the base filling.
- Fold the uncovered half of the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges together in a semicircle.
- Refrigerate the filled hand pies while you preheat the oven. They can be frozen at this point for up to a month. Store in a ziplock bag once chilled and stiff.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Once the oven is preheated, Use a pastry brush to lightly paint the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Use the point of a paring knife to cut an X in the top of the dough, to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dip in Caramel sauce or nothing at all.
Notes
Baker’s Notes
*I used a combination of Honeycrisp, Macintosh and Pink Lady apples for a variety of texture and flavor. You can use your favorite apple or a combination.
**I prefer to bake these on parchment paper and not the silicone mat. The parchment paper produces a nicer color and crisper bottom crust. The silicone mat insulates the dough and makes for a soggy bottom.
*I used a combination of Honeycrisp, Macintosh and Pink Lady apples for a variety of texture and flavor. You can use your favorite apple or a combination.
**I prefer to bake these on parchment paper and not the silicone mat. The parchment paper produces a nicer color and crisper bottom crust. The silicone mat insulates the dough and makes for a soggy bottom.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
