Vegan rugelach - a dairy-free version of the classic cookies, just like my Nani Dorothy used to make! Buttery, rolled cookies are packed with a sweet, chocolate filling.
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Any time we celebrated a holiday, my Nani Dorothy would make chocolate rugelach: rolled cookies filled with a sweet, chocolatey filling. They are crunchy bites of deliciousness and so fun to make!
To make rugelach, I recommend using a food processor, because it really is the best way to make the dough. If you don't have one, you can use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer instead.
Once you have a cohesive dough, you roll it out, chill it, and sprinkle on the chocolate filling. Roll, slice, and bake!
These remind me of every holiday at Nani's place, and I am so excited to share this amazing cookie with you!
These are perfect for any Jewish holiday, but I especially crave rugelach around Hanukkah. If you need more recipes for Hanukkah, also try my baked latkes (no standing over a popping panful of oil!), mushroom pot roast, and vegan chicken noodle soup!
And if you're looking for more chocolatey goodness, check out my collection of deliciously decadent vegan chocolate recipes!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- flour - For the dough. Use all-purpose flour. I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free 1:1 flour, but it should work fine.
- vegan butter and vegan cream cheese - Makes the dough SO buttery and rich!
- salt - Conditions the dough.
- non-dairy milk and maple syrup - Helps the rugelach brown and adds a little more sweetness.
- chocolate - For the filling. You can make other fillings, if you like, with the same dough!
- cocoa powder - For flavor in the filling.
- sugar - Adds texture and sweetness to the chocolate filling.
- cinnamon - Brings out the chocolate in the filling.
🔪 How to make vegan rugelach
Add the flour to your food processor. Slice the vegan butter and cream cheese into big pieces, and add them to the food processor along with the salt.
Pulse the food processor a few times to break everything up.
Run the food processor for about a minute, until you have a somewhat cohesive ball of dough.
Spread out a sheet of plastic wrap and dust with flour, then place the dough on top. Sprinkle the dough with flour, as well. Roll out the dough into an 8" square on the plastic wrap. Wrap in the plastic wrap, then chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop your chocolate if you haven't already, and mix it with the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the dough from the freezer, then slice the dough in half lengthwise.
Stack the halves on the plastic wrap.
Sprinkle both sides generously with flour.
Roll the dough into a 12x4" rectangle, sprinkling on flour, as needed, to prevent sticking.
Sprinkle and pat the chocolate onto the dough.
Roll it into a long, skinny log. You can use the plastic wrap to help you roll, because the dough is still going to be pretty sticky and soft at this point.
Slice into 12 to 16 rounds, and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Mix the non-dairy milk with the maple syrup, and brush it on top of the cookies.
Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the vegan rugelach starts to turn golden brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking pan before serving.
💡 Helpful tips
- The dough is going to be sticky. Sprinkle on some flour, so you can roll it out without it sticking to the rolling pin. Also make sure your work surface is well floured to prevent sticking. Feel free to use flour liberally when working with this dough!
- Patting down the chocolate is key, because that will keep it from falling out as you roll and slice the cookies.
- When you're rolling up the log, it might feel like things are going very badly and the dough is too sticky. When you feel that way, sprinkle a little flour on, gently rub it onto the surface of the dough, and keep on rolling. You're doing great! Even if it feels like it's falling apart a little when you are moving the sliced cookies to the baking sheet, it's all going to shake out fine. You're great at this!
- The rugelach is ready when it's firm to the touch and a little golden on the edges.
🫙 Storage directions
Cooled vegan rugelach will keep for a few days in a closed container on the kitchen counter or in the pantry. Do let it cool completely before storing. It's ready to store when the chocolate isn't melty anymore.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Rugelach
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 4 ounces vegan cream cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
For the Chocolate Filling
- 3 ounces vegan chocolate chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Make the dough.
- Add the flour to your food processor. Slice the vegan butter and cream cheese into big pieces and add them to the food processor along with the salt. Pulse the food processor a few times to break everything up, then run it for about a minute, until you have a somewhat cohesive ball of dough.
- Spread out a sheet of plastic wrap and dust with flour, then place the dough on top. Sprinkle the dough with flour, as well. Roll out the dough into an 8" square on the plastic wrap. Wrap in the plastic wrap, then chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling.
- Chop your chocolate if you haven't already, and mix it with the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon.
Assemble and bake.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the dough from the freezer, then slice the dough in half lengthwise, and stack the halves on the plastic wrap. Sprinkle both sides generously with flour. Roll the dough into a 12x4" rectangle, sprinkling on more flour, as needed, to prevent sticking.
- Sprinkle and pat the chocolate onto the dough, then roll it into a long, skinny log. You can use the plastic wrap to help you roll, because the dough is still going to be pretty sticky and soft at this point. Slice into 12 to 16 rounds, and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Mix the non-dairy milk with the maple syrup, and brush it on top of the cookies.
- Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the vegan rugelach starts to turn golden brown on the edges. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking pan before serving.
Kathryn Louise
hi
this looks delicious but overwhelming.. is nutrient nutrition ingredient info per one cookie serving or 3 per serving ?
Becky Striepe
Don't worry - it's a lot of steps, but they're all very doable steps! Waiting is the hardest part. :) Nutritional information is per serving.