These tasty and tender Poppy Seed Rugelach cookies are made with a cream cheese dough and filled with a sweet poppy seed filling. Learn how to make these crescent-shaped delights with endless filling options.
These scrumptious Poppy Seed Rugelach cookies are a perfect treat to delight your guests, whether it’s the holidays or any time of year. Shaped into crescent rolls, these pastries are filled with a sweet, creamy poppy seed filling that has a rich, almost nutty flavor and a delicate texture. The filling adds a unique depth of flavor that perfectly complements the soft, tender dough. It’s a taste that’s both comforting and distinctive, making these rugelach truly irresistible. The cream cheese dough makes them incredibly soft and tender, and it’s so easy to work with! Bonus: you can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a few days or even freeze it for months—how convenient is that?
In our family, these pastries were known as гости на пороге ("guests at the doorstep"), a nod to how quickly you can pop them in the oven when unexpected visitors arrive. The dough does need some chilling time before you shape them, so it’s ideal to prepare in advance and have it ready to go. The poppy seed filling is our favorite, but feel free to make your own (I’ve included a link to my recipe, which freezes beautifully), or use store-bought filling for even more convenience. The great thing about rugelach is the endless filling possibilities—jam, ground nuts, raisins, cinnamon, apples, Nutella, or even melted chocolate all make great alternatives. The only thing you’ll need to decide is which one to try first!
Video of How To Make Poppy Seed Rugelach
Ingredients
(Scroll to the bottom of the page for the printable recipe with all the measurements.)
- Cream Cheese
- The secret to the soft and tender dough, cream cheese adds richness and a hint of tang, making the dough easy to work with and giving it a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Butter
- This adds a rich, buttery flavor and helps create a tender dough that holds up beautifully when shaped into crescents.
- Egg Yolk
- The egg yolk enriches the dough, contributing to its smooth texture.
- Water
- A small amount of water is used to help bring the dough together.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Of course, the flour provides the structure that holds everything together.
- Poppy Seed Filling
- The homemade poppy seed filling is what really makes these rugelach special. It’s not overly sweet, and it has a fresh, nutty flavor that works beautifully with the soft, buttery dough. Plus, it’s easy to make and simple to work with. However, if you're short on time or prefer convenience, store-bought poppy seed filling is a great option too.
- If you’re feeling creative, there are plenty of filling alternatives you can try! Swap the poppy seed filling for fruit jam, a mix of ground nuts and dried fruit, or even melted chocolate or Nutella for a decadent twist. The possibilities are endless, and each variation brings its own unique flavor to these delicious pastries.
- Powdered Sugar
- A light dusting of powdered sugar adds the finishing touch, giving the rugelach a sweet, delicate coating that completes the look and flavor.
How To Make the Rugelach Dough
Prepare the Dough
- In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and well combined.
- Then, add the egg yolk and water. Mix until everything comes together nicely.
- Add the flour into the mixture and mix until just incorporated. Don’t overmix, just combine it until the dough forms.
Chill the Dough
- Wrap the dough in parchment paper (wax paper or aluminum foil work too) and refrigerate it for at least a couple of hours, or until firm.
- The dough needs to be chilled before you can roll it out, otherwise it's way too soft to work with and will stick to your hands and the counter. Refrigerating it will make it much easier to work with.
- Before chilling the dough, I like to divide it into four equal sections and shape each one into a disc.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare the Dough in Advance
The cream cheese dough can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. After wrapping the dough in parchment paper, be sure to wrap it in an additional layer of aluminum foil or place it in a freezer ziplock bag to keep it fresh and protect it from drying out or getting freezer burned.
This makes it super convenient if you want to get a head start on your rugelach and bake them fresh later!
Shaping and Baking the Poppy Seed Rugelach
- Preheat the Oven
- While the dough is chilling, and when you're ready to start baking, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll Out the Dough
- On a floured surface, take a portion of the chilled dough and roll it into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter.
- Make the Rugelach
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of poppy seed filling evenly over the surface of the dough. You can use more or less, depending on your preference.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough circle into 8-12 equal triangles. The number of pieces will depend on how big or small you want your rugelach to be.
- Starting at the wide end of each triangle, roll the dough into a crescent shape. Place the rolled rugelach on the prepared baking sheet with the tips facing down.
- Bake the Rugelach
- Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until the tips of the rugelach and the bottom are just beginning to brown. Keep the cookies light in color—don’t let them bake too long or they’ll be overcooked and won’t be as soft.
- Repeat with the Rest of the Dough
- Once the first batch is baked, repeat the process with the remaining dough. Be sure to refrigerate any leftover scraps until firm, then roll them out to make more rugelach!
Tips for Shaping Perfect Rugelach
- Before chilling the dough, I like to divide it into four equal sections and shape each one into a disc.
- Once chilled, you can either cut each disc in half and roll them into two smaller circles for a batch of rugelach, or roll out each disc into one large circle.
- If you go with the larger circle, use a 10-inch lid or round object to cut it into a perfect shape, then save the scraps to roll out another circle. This process should yield around 70-80 delicious rugelach cookies from the recipe.
- To shape your rugelach, I use a 10-inch lid that I place on top of the rolled-out dough and cut around it. This helps create a perfectly round shape. You don’t have to be too precise, though! You can simply roll the dough out into an approximate circle and still get great results.
- Cut into triangles – Once your dough is shaped into a circle, cut it into 8-10 equal triangles. I often make a mix of larger and smaller cookies. Feel free to cut some of the dough into 8 pieces and others into 12-16 pieces.
- Save the scraps! Don’t throw away the leftover dough—gather the pieces, press them together, and refrigerate. Chill the dough, and it will be easier to roll out for more rugelach.
How To Serve and Store Rugelach
Serving:
Once baked, let the rugelach cool for a few minutes, then dust them with powdered sugar for an extra sweet touch. Serve and enjoy the soft, buttery, and poppy-filled goodness! These delicious pastries are perfect for any occasion, whether it's a holiday gathering, afternoon tea, or a cozy snack with a cup of coffee or tea.
Storing:
These rugelach stay fresh for several days and up to a week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep them longer, you can store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. If you’re making multiple types of cookies, I recommend using aluminum trays—they’re affordable, practical, and perfect for keeping your cookies fresh.
To maintain their freshness, you can also freeze the baked rugelach for up to 3 months. Just make sure to let them cool completely before freezing, and to reheat them in the oven for a few minutes when you’re ready to enjoy them. The cream cheese dough makes them incredibly soft and tender, even after freezing!
Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The cream cheese dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Feel free to get creative with the filling. You can use fruit jams, ground nuts, raisins, cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, or even Nutella.
If the dough becomes too soft or sticky as you work with it, simply chill it for 15-20 minutes to firm it up. This makes it easier to roll out and shape into the rugelach.
Yes, you can definitely use store-bought poppy seed filling! Just keep in mind that it can sometimes be a bit thick or dry, making it harder to spread. If that happens, simply add a few teaspoons of boiling water and stir until smooth. This will help loosen it up and make it much easier to work with.
Make sure to roll up the rugelach tightly, starting from the wide end of each triangle.
Another tip is to avoid overloading the dough with too much filling. If there’s too much, the dough might not bake evenly in the center, and the filling is more likely to ooze out and burn.
Poppy Seed Rugelach
These tasty and tender Poppy Seed Rugelach cookies are made with a cream cheese dough and filled with a sweet poppy seed filling. Learn how to make these crescent-shaped delights with endless filling options.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 48 mins
- Yield: 70-80 rugelach 1x
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup butter, softened (6 oz.)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoons of water
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- Poppy seed filling
- powdered sugar, for dusting the pastries
Instructions
Make the dough.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and well-combined.
- Add the egg yolk and water, mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour and also mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add the flour, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Chill the dough.
Wrap the dough in parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and refrigerate for at least a few hours until firm. If the dough is too soft, it will be impossible to roll out and will stick to your hands and the counter.
Shape the Poppy Seed Rugelach
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll out a portion of dough and cut it into a circle using a 10-inch lid or dinner plate. Save the dough scraps and refrigerate them to firm up.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of poppy seed filling evenly over the dough.
- Cut the dough circle into 8-12 triangles. Roll each triangle from the wide end into a crescent shape and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the Poppy Seed Rugelach
- Bake for 12-18 minutes, in the preheated oven, until the tips and the bottom of the rugelach are slightly browned.
- Refrigerate dough scraps until firm and use them to make additional rugelach.
- Once baked, let the rugelach cool for a few minutes, then dust them with powdered sugar for an extra sweet touch.
Notes
Other Filling Options:
Feel free to get creative with your rugelach filling! The classic poppy seed filling is delicious, but you can also use fruit jams, ground nuts, raisins, cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, or even Nutella. The possibilities are endless, so mix and match to suit your taste!
How to Prep the Dough:
Before chilling the dough, I like to divide it into four equal portions and shape each one into a disc. This makes it easier to roll out later.
Once chilled, you can either cut each disc in half and roll them into two smaller circles for a batch of rugelach, or roll out each disc into one larger circle. If you choose the larger circle, use a 10-inch lid or round object to cut it into a perfect shape, and don’t forget to save the scraps! These can be rolled out again to make more rugelach. This method should yield around 70-80 tasty rugelach cookies.
Storing:
These rugelach stay fresh for several days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll last up to a week. If you want them to keep a bit longer, store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Freezing the Dough and Baked Rugelach:
Most of the time, I prefer to freeze the rugelach dough and poppy seed filling separately. It's so convenient to have them ready for when you're in the mood to bake!
However, if you want to freeze the baked rugelach, that works too. Just make sure to let them cool completely before freezing. You can store them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply reheat in the oven for a few minutes. The cream cheese dough helps keep them soft and tender, even after freezing—perfect for a quick, delicious treat whenever you need it!
This is an updated version of the Poppy Seed Rugelach recipe that was published originally on April 23, 2012. The recipe is the same; I updated the photos, added a video and clarified the instructions.
How do i print this recipe??
Some of the older recipes do not have a printable recipe. I add the printable version whenever I can. This one is all set to go, Lily:). If you ever notice another recipe that needs the printable version, please let me know.
Thank you so much! 😉
Salted or unsalted butter or does it matter?
I always use unsalted butter, Priscilla. Honestly though, it wouldn't matter in this recipe.
I've been searching all over for a recipe for, "poppyseed butterhorns" that a old family friend use to make. These look just like them 🙂 I can't wait to make these to see if they taste like hers. Only one question, do you use salted or nosalt butter or does it matter? Thanks
Is there a printer version? thanks
Hi Olga
Your cookies look so beautiful! I would like to try to make these Poppyseed rugelachs this weekend--I have one question though: In the instructions you say to roll out a portion of the dough. Could you approximate, or give an exact weight in grams or ounces, what a portion would be?
I'd like to get as many cookies as you did, so I imagine if I use bigger portions I might run out of dough...
Thanks in advance!
I really don't remember, Andrea. I never divide them into a certain number of portions, just kind of eyeball it. It doesn't really matter, as long as you roll them out thin enough. You'll get the hang of it once you start making them, and figure out how big of portion you need. I will try to count next time I make these cookies.
I just made these. They turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe. The only thing was that the dough was hard to work with. It was very sticky when I tried to roll it out thin. I was rolling it out straight from refrigerator after it sat there overnight. I even tried freezing it. Did you use a lot of flour when rolling out the dough? Another thing is that this recipe yielded only 32 pieces but the recipe says it yields 70-80. Do you really get that many out of just one batch? Just curious cause I rolled out the dough pretty thin but only got that many.
Hi Nadia,
Yes, I use quite a bit of flour when rolling the dough out. I also make the cookies really small, so that's why I get so many. If you make them larger, you will only get half as much.
Just got these out of the oven. Absolutely delicious! Brought on so many childhood memories. Exercised my arm muscles quite a bit, too, while rolling out the cold dough. 🙂 Next time I'll use white flour, not wholewheat (that's what I had to hand) - that should make them even more tender. Way to go, Olga! My mom makes the rugelachs with rose petal preserve that she herself prepares every May - the rugelachs come out soooo fragrant! It's traditional in their neck of the woods in Moldova, but where do I find that type of rose petals in Canada... Still, poppy seeds are just as good, if not better! 🙂
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Dorina! And rose petal preserves sound delicious. I've never tried it, but would love to.
Thanks Olga for great recipe my husbund and i just love them!!! Taste good and easy to make!!!!
My mom detests the flavor of cheese in any way and even isn't a big fan of cream cheese. Do these have a strong cream cheese flavor? I had some sort of poppy seed pastry with a polish friend once and LOVED IT and am hoping my family will love it, too. I'll just need to warn my mom ahead of time.
Thanks!
Hi Laura!
No, these pastries do not taste like cheese AT ALL. Since the cream cheese is in the dough, you won't detect the taste at all. It does make the dough very tender, which I love. If you would use cream cheese as a filling, then you would be able to taste the cheese.
Hi Olga: I made the poppy seed filling yesterday,I was not sure if I was really going to like it. Today I made your recipe for poppy seed Rugelachs. Let me tell you, I just though they were great. I had them with a cup of tea and they were not too overly sweet just right. Thanks for the recipe. Will make again. I had extra filling left so I put it in the freezer. It should keep, I don't see why not.
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Tony! A cup of tea paired with these cookies sounds like the perfect combination:).
Olga, These are bomb!
Thank you, Olga!
I am in the process of making them, but I do have a question is foil essential in this case? can I just put it into a bowl or other container? I placed my dough in the freezer and now it's all frozen so I have to wait until it defrosts.
As for the filling I hope any of it will survive after my boys "sampling" 🙂 Thank you 🙂
It's essential to wrap it in something; you can use parchment paper, plastic wrap, etc.
It is much easier to take the dough out when it's wrapped in foil or parchment paper than in a container, but you can containers as well, Olga. I hope you enjoyed the cookies.
How long can I leave this in the fridge for? Would it be ok for like 2 days? Or would I have to freeze it? And those it take long to thaw?
Do you mean the cookie dough, Lily? You can leave it in the refrigerator for a few days. If you mean the actual baked cookies, then you don't have to store them in the fridge, room temperature is best.
Olga! I tried making these and had a couple of issues. First, straight out of the fridge, the dough was crumbly and very hard to roll out. I waited for it to soften, which made rolling out easier, but then when it was time to roll the triangles, it was too soft and stuck to the surface (I did flour it prior). So they ended up being messy globs:( I loved the tasted and the texture though!! Any advice?.. Thank you!
Hi Sasha!
I'm sorry to hear that you had trouble with these rugelachs.
The dough needs to be chilled or it will be too soft to roll it out, as you've already found out. I keep most of the dough in the refrigerator while I'm working with a small portion of it at a time. You will need to soften the dough for a short time, 5 minutes or so, it depends on how warm it is in your kitchen. The dough will be really easy to roll out if it's chilled but slightly warmed at room temperature. Hope that helps.
Love how they turned out=) thank you so much for the recipe!!!