There are few Israeli desserts as loved as chocolate rugelach. They are sweet, have an incredible chocolate filling, and are made beautiful by a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Best of all, these chocolate rugelach are dairy free! It is made without butter and cream cheese.
One of my favorite memories is the time my mother, my brother Aaron, and I went to the Machene Yehudah Market in Jerusalem just as it was opening.
Shopkeepers had just finished putting their goods out and the aromas of fresh baked bread and goodies filled the air.
It is our custom that whenever we go to the market we buy nuts and pickled vegetables and nibble on them while strolling around.
This time though, before we could buy anything, we came across a stall that had fresh baked rugelach that were just being taken out of the oven. The smell was intoxicating.
As the baker placed them on the counter, we saw that they were smothered in simple syrup and sitting in a bath of chocolate that leaked out of them.
Needless to say, we got some right away!
They were gooey, sweet, and rich in deep chocolate.
Israeli rugelach differ from other types in a number of ways.
For one thing, they are always really soft and often gooey, are almost always filled with chocolate, and are usually sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Also, I’ve never seen any made with cream cheese and are usually dairy free.
While I don't have a recipe for the gooey ones yet, this recipe is for soft ones, but trust me, you wont be disappointed.
Other recipes you may like are my chocolate babka and chocolate rugelach cake.
Recipe Tip:
Do not substitute the filling for Nutella or chocolate spread. Many recipes, even ones in Hebrew, recommend doing this. I tried it once while making babka thinking it would save me time. When I pulled it out of the oven the top looked great, but the flavor was barely noticeable.
Rugelach SNAFU:
I made some triangles too wide so they came out huge or too narrow so they had no shape. Also, I made the mistake of letting them rise too much so they were too round and too cakey.
Other Recipes You May Like:
- Dairy Free Gooey Brownies
- Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Dairy Free Banana Cake
- Dairy Free Blondies
- Dairy Free Chocolate Cookies
- Dairy Free Lemon Bars
Chocolate Rugelach
Chocolate rugelach are arguably the most popular dessert in Israel. These are similar to the ones you can find in any bakery in Israel.
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour (420 to 480 grams)
- ⅓ cups white sugar (65 grams)
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup oil* (80 milliliters)
- ¾ cup warm water (180 milliliters)
Filling
- 1 cup cocoa (100 grams)
- ⅔ cup white sugar (135 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup oil (120 milliliters)
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¼ cup water (60 milliliters)
- ¼ cup white sugar (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs and oil. Mix using a bread hook attachment.
- Add the water a little at a time until the dough is sticky but not wet. Mix for 5 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you get the right consistency.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise until double in size.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, oil, and cinnamon to create the filling.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll out half the dough into a horizontal rectangle on a well-floured work surface. You want the dough to be very thin, but not so thin that it rips when moved.
- Spread about ⅓ the filling over the dough. Then, fold the dough over itself towards you. Spread another layer of filling. Cut the dough into triangles, creating a zigzag pattern. Do your best not to make them too wide or too narrow.
- Start from the widest part of each triangle and roll your way down to the tip. Place the rugelach on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 1'' apart.
- Repeat these steps with the remainder of the dough and spread.
- Preheat the oven to 360°F or 180°C. Let the rugelach rise until the oven is ready. Generously brush with remaining egg.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Mix remaining sugar and water in a pot. Heat to create simple syrup. Spoon the syrup over the rugelach and sprinkle the sesame seeds.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
38Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 35mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 6g
Yafit
Friday 7th of July 2023
How come my dough is not doubling in size?
Chaya
Thursday 24th of August 2023
@Yafit,
Mine didn't either. The air conditioner is on and I think it's too cold. Put it in the microwave in a bowl covered with plastic wrap on the LOWEST power for 5 min. Make sure it's on the lowest power possible. But it might also be your yeast which you need to test.
ElissaBeth
Friday 4th of August 2023
Either your yeast isn't alive or the area you have them rising in is too cold.
Susan
Monday 19th of December 2022
Before I make this recipe, I have a question. My daughter is now dairy free because her baby is dairy intolerant and she is nursing. One of her favorite holiday recipes is apricot rugelach. Is there any reason I couldn’t substitute the filling with apricot jam and nuts and cinnamon the way I usually make my rugelach? I know she would prefer that to chocolate. (Everyone loved your dairy free corn muffin recipe!!) Thank you! Susan💫
Susan
Tuesday 20th of December 2022
@ElissaBeth, Thank you for your quick response! I’m planning on trying it tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Susan 💫
ElissaBeth
Monday 19th of December 2022
I am glad to hear everyone loved my day free corn muffin recipe! I don't see any reason you couldn't replace the chocolate filling with your usual apricot jam filling :)
Thursday 17th of November 2022
Rugelach were delicious, but 30 minutes was way too long for my oven. I baked them 25 min and wished I’d taken them out 5 minutes before that.
Ems
Thursday 17th of March 2022
How long does the whole process take? I have been wanting to make this.. it looks really good! We just came back from Israel a few days ago. And this was one of my favorite treat!
ElissaBeth
Wednesday 6th of December 2023
It's really impossible for me to say because rising times are drastically different depending on the heat and humidity of the room. However, I'd expect it to take at least two hours.
Alex
Tuesday 11th of January 2022
I made these yesterday, not ever having had them before, and not knowing what to expect. But what a delicious surprise! I did add some finely chopped semisweet chocolate to the filling and would add even more next time. The dough was lovely to work with and I loved the texture of the finished product. The American rugelach I’ve had can be delicious but heavier in the stomach and I hate rolling out the cream cheese dough. These will become a regular bake around here I think. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
ElissaBeth
Thursday 17th of February 2022
You're welcome! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them so much!