Vegan Rugelach

A veganized version of a classic Jewish cookie, Rugelach is a morsel of pastry dough filled with cinnamon, sugar, plump raisins, and walnuts. We're in love.

Makes 48 cookies

What You Need:

For the dough:

• 1 8-ounce container vegan cream cheese
• 1 cup vegan margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups flour

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup spreadable apricot preserves
• Sugar for sprinkling

What You Do: 

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and margarine until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla, mix well, and stir in flour until just combined. Onto a well-floured surface, place dough and form it into a ball. Cut the ball into 4 equal parts. Slightly flatten each ball and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
2. To make the filling, in a food processor, pulse sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts until well combined. 
3. On a well-floured surface, place one ball of dough and roll it into a 9-inch circle. Spread about 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves onto dough. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of nut mixture on top of preserves and lightly press into dough. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut circle into 4 quarters and then cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces. 
4. Starting with outer edge, roll each piece toward center. On a baking sheet lined with a Silpat liner or parchment paper, place cookies, pointed edge down, and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Repeat this process with remaining 3 pieces of dough.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove prepared cookies from refrigerator and glaze each one with a small amount of apricot preserves and a sprinkling of sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned before letting cool completely on a wire rack.

Check out all of our 2011 VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest Winners!
First Place: Chocolate Sugar Cookies Iced with Crushed Candy Cane Topping by Celeste Hill
Second Place: Vegan Rugelach by Lisa Peterson
Third Place: Cinnamon & Chocolate Linzer Cookies by Jess Nadel
Honorable Mention: Soynog Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon-Chocolate Cream Cheese Topped with Chocolate Drizzle by Diana Chow