Can I make the dough ahead of time?

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.

Can I use a different filling instead of poppy seeds?

Absolutely! Feel free to get creative with the filling. You can use fruit jams, ground nuts, raisins, cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, or even Nutella.

How can I make the dough easier to work with?

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.

Can I use store-bought poppy seed filling?

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.

How do I prevent the filling from spilling out while baking?

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

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

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.

Author: Olga Klyuchits
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Cook Time: 18 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 48 mins
Yield: 70-80 rugelach 1x
Category: Sweets

Ingredients

Scale

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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!

Find it online: https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/holiday-recipes/poppy-seed-rugelachs/