Rugelach - Nutty

A sweet nutty filling rolled in a butter flaky crust creating a bite sized treat the melts in your mouth.

A glass of milk complements this sweet little pastry very well.

Makes About: 64 (16 Per Dough Ball)

Time: Unknown

Difficulty: 2 out of 5 (1 being cookies in a tube - ready bake cookies)

Ingredients - Crust

2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 package (8 ounces) cold, cream cheese - cubed 2 sticks (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter - cubed 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg yolk

Filling

1 cup pecans

1 cup walnuts

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup granulated sugar

The Finishing Steps

Powdered Sugar - for rolling out the dough

Instructions - Crust

-Step 1 - Mix

Combine the 2 cups of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of slat in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula or your hands until mixed well.

-Step 2 - Cube and Mix

Cube the 2 sticks of unsalted butter and the 1 package of cream cheese.

Tip: I like to cut the butter three times down the long side and flip it once to cut it the same way - into four sections. Then cut it to create small cubs. Do the same with the cream cheese.

Mix the butter and cream cheese into the flour and salt mixture.

Using a food processor, kitchen aid, or your bare hands, mix the ingredients until a sticky ball has been formed.

-Step 3 - Mix Some More

Mix the 1 egg yolk and and the 1 teaspoon vanilla in the same bowl as your flower, salt, butter, and cream cheese.

The egg white will not be used, so it can be used for a face mask, macaroons, or an egg white scramble.

-Step 4 - Get a Little Messy

Mix all the ingredients really well until completed combined.

-Step 5 - Separate and Refrigerate

Separate the dough into four balls of even size, wrap in plastic wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, but they can sit in the fridge for up to a few days.

Once the dough has rested, start the filling, which will take 20-30 minutes to make.

Ingredients - Filling

-Step 6 - Make the Filling

Chop the 1 cup pecans and the 1 cup walnuts into little bits and place in a medium sized bowl. Make sure the nuts are chopped into fine pieces because this will be the filling for the rugelach.

Tip: You can also use a food processor, but be sure it does not turn into a powder.

Also, if you do chop with a knife, be sure to realize it will take 30 minutes if you are as slow as me, but with a glass of wine, it can be pretty great.

In a pan on low heat melt 1/4 cup of butter.

Pull the butter off the heat and add it to the nut mixture with the 1/4 cup honey and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

Stir together until it creates a delicious, buttery, nutty filling.

The Finishing Steps

-Step 7 - Powder and Roll

Sprinkle powdered sugar on a flat surface and start to roll out one ball of dough.

Keep the other three balls in the fridge.

Roll out the dough a few times and flip it over. Repeat this step until the dough is thin and rounded out. Make sure the dough does not stick to the flat surface or rip. Flipping will keep that from happening.

-Step 8 -Stretch and Spread (Does Not Have to be Perfect)

Once rolled out, spoon and spread half of the filling evenly on the dough leaving about 1/4 inch of the edge clear of filling.

After spreading the filling on the dough cut the dough in half, then in quarters, then in eighths, then in sixteenths. So, you should have 16 separate rugelachs.

Roll the rugelach from the outside to the inside, making sure you don't rip the dough.

Place them on a piece of parchment paper an inch apart with the end tucked under.

-Step 9 - Refrigerate and Preheat

Place the rugulach in the refrigerator for 20 minute and preheat the oven to 375F degrees.

At this time, have a glass of wine, or some water, or even a coffee. Or you can start your second batch of nutty rugelach - or try the fruity rugalech.

-Step 10 - Bake and Enjoy

Place the rugelach in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and flaky.

FYI: You will have butter over spill that will be on the parchment paper that will be golden brown and look a little burnt. That is just what happens when you use a lot of butter. I did a stick of butter in my filling and I had a lot of spillover, but it made the bottom of my rugelach really yummy and buttery.

Let cool for a few moments and the transfer to a wire rack and enjoy.

These delicious little treats were helped created by "Kitchn." I used the basic steps, but added more butter. I also created a few more steps for bakers wanting a little more help.