Even though Rugelach aren’t necessarily typical Christmas treats – they have somehow become that for us in recent years. In theory, you can make these Red Bean Rugelach all year round, but for us, they are definitely little sweet treats that we like to serve with hot tea during Advent. And yes, you read correctly – they are made with bean paste. ;P
Rugelach are small, sweet-filled crescents based in the traditional Ashkenazim (Jewish) cuisine. Ashkenazim cuisine is influenced by the cuisine of Austria and Eastern European countries such as Poland and Hungary. This is where Rugelach originated and made their way into Jewish communities around the world. The dough for these little croissants can be prepared in different ways – we’ve used a version with cream cheese here. As for the filling, you can use whatever you like. As you can probably see here… bean paste is probably not that common in traditional recipes. ;P
These little croissants are often filled with jam, nuts, or chocolate. We already have several versions of these little treats on the blog – Hazelnut Rugelach and Rugelach with Raspberry Filling. Let’s be honest, all versions are delicious. But why not try something new for a change? It can’t hurt to expand the »sweet treat horizon« . ;P
Why is someone baking with red bean paste?
We love testing new recipes and are experimenting a lot here. We don’t want to limit ourselves to local cuisine and recipes, so we test and try things from all over the world. A while ago, we baked Mooncakes for the first time – small cakes that are given as gifts during the Moon Festival in many Asian countries. The cakes are beautifully decorated and always have a filling. Similar to Rugelach here, there are many options for the filling, but a classic filling is (sweet) red bean paste.
It took us several attempts to perfect our mooncake recipe, so we stocked up on the ingredients we needed accordingly – in the end, we had some red bean paste left over, which had to be used up, of course. Nothing should be thrown away. No food waste, right! So why not use the leftover bean paste to fill small croissants? It may sound strange at first, but the result was delicious! ;)
Some tips for baking…
When shaping the Rugelach, it helps to chill the dough well beforehand – this makes it easier to roll out without sticking anywhere.
Spread the filling on the rolled-out dough, then cut the dough into triangles and roll these triangles into small croissants. You can cut a wide strip of dough into triangles (often done with croissants) or simply roll out the dough into a circle and cut out the triangles like a pizza. We usually use the »pizza method« because it is the easiest and does not require measuring the dough pieces.
When rolling up the croissants, you will be able to see the filling between the layers along the edges. Don’t worry – this will leak out only slightly during baking, but that’s intentional. You should be able to see what the little Rugelach are filled with. ;)
If red bean paste isn’t the right filling for you, there are lots of other options to try – instead of jam or chocolate, you could use black sesame paste, pistachio cream, or even Matcha. They all taste delicious! But to be honest, the red bean paste version is really addictive.
Rugelach taste best when freshly baked, of course, but they will also keep for a few days in an airtight container. In theory, that is. In reality, they usually all disappear within a day – strange, isn’t it?
We got much more recipes for cookies and other sweet treats here on the blog – whether you want to bake something for Christmas or throughout the year. If you don’t like things to be too traditional for Christmas, you should definitely try our Llama & Cactus Christmas Cookies. Eye-catching cookies your grandma probably never made. ;P
If you prefer something a little simpler, take a look at our Slice ‘n’ Bake Cookies. They are very easy to make and can be prepared all year round as well – not just for Christmas. There’s also a vegan version, by the way. ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(12 Rugelach)
For the dough:
1.8 oz. (50g) butter
1.8 oz. (50g) cream cheese
2.1 oz. (60g) all-purpose flour
1 pinch of salt
For the filling/to finish:
3-4 tbsp. (sweetened) red bean paste*
1 egg yolk + some water
some coarse sugar for sprinkling
(12 Rugelach)
Für den Teig:
50g Butter
50g Frischkäse
60g Mehl (Type 405)
1 Prise Salz
Für die Füllung/Deko:
3–4 EL (gesüßte) Red Bean Paste*
1 Eigelb (M) + etwas Wasser
etwas grober Zucker zum Bestreuen
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the flour and salt and mix everything with a rubber spatula until the dough starts coming together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Mix the egg yolk with a bit of water and set it aside.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface – you want to create a circle with a width of about 25cm (10 inch). Soften the bean paste by stirring it well, then spread it all over the dough circle. You want a thin layer that goes until the edges. Now cut the dough circle into 12 slices like you would do with a pizza. Roll up each slice, starting at the wider side towards the pointy tip. Place the Rugelach (croissants) on the prepared baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with some coarse sugar. Bake the Rugelach for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
1. Die Butter mit dem Frischkäse in einer Schüssel kurz aufschlagen. Das Mehl und das Salz dazugeben und mit einem Gummispatel untermengen. Den Teig in Klarsichtfolie einschlagen und dann über Nacht in den Kühlschrank legen.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Das Eigelb mit etwas Wasser verrühren und ebenfalls zur Seite stellen.
3. Den Teig auf einer leicht bemehlten Fläche zu einem Kreis mit einem Durchmesser von etwa 25cm ausrollen. Die Bohnenpaste kurz durchrühren, damit sie etwas weicher wird, dann auf dem Teig verstreichen – es sollte eine dünne Schicht sein, die bis zum Rand des Teiges geht. Den Teigkreis dann wie eine Pizza in 12 Stücke schneiden. Die entstandenen Teig-Dreiecke dann von der breiten Seite her zu einem Hörnchen aufrollen. Die Hörnchen auf das vorbereitete Blech setzen, mit der Eigelbmischung bestreichen und mit grobem Zucker bestreuen. Die Rugelach dann für etwa 20-22 Minuten backen – die Hörnchen sollten eine schöne, goldbraune Farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Ofen nehmen und dann auf einem Kuchengitter abkühlen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Easy Red Bean Rugelach
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 08:30
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Probably not the Rugelach your grandma made at home – these small croissants are filled with sweetened red bean paste and super delicious! Worth a try!
Ingredients
For the dough:
1.8 oz. (50g) butter
1.8 oz. (50g) cream cheese
2.1 oz. (60g) all-purpose flour
1 pinch of salt
For the filling/to finish:
3-4 tbsp. (sweetened) red bean paste*
1 egg yolk + some water
some coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Add the butter and cream cheese to a bowl and mix until well combined. Add the flour and salt and mix everything with a rubber spatula until the dough starts coming together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Mix the egg yolk with a bit of water and set it aside.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface – you want to create a circle with a width of about 25cm (10 inch). Soften the bean paste by stirring it well, then spread it all over the dough circle. You want a thin layer that goes until the edges. Now cut the dough circle into 12 slices like you would do with a pizza. Roll up each slice, starting at the wider side towards the pointy tip. Place the Rugelach (croissants) on the prepared baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with some coarse sugar. Bake the Rugelach for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Let the baking begin!
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