It’s that time again!
This is my third Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. I really love getting cookies in the mail from other food bloggers and it is all for a great cause. Proceeds from the swap go to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. This time of year always makes me excited about baking. I have such fond memories of baking during the holidays and now I look forward to this as a great addition to my traditions.
When thinking about what kind of cookies to bake this year (this is by far the hardest task), I started thinking about cookies that are considered more traditional in Jewish households. I know the hubby gets a little grumpy during this time of year because of all of the Christmas stuff. He usually makes a comment or two when we walk through a store around Halloween and find that they have already begun advertising for Christmas. “What about Hanukkah?” he would say… ok that is not at all what he would say but it is generally in that realm. I don’t blame him for feeling somewhat slighted. Hanukkah is a holiday with lots of meaning and the process of lighting the candles each night is something I have come to look forward to.
p.s. I love our menorah!
I always had the impression that making rugelach was a lot of work so I generally avoided making them. I mean come on, baking is already a challenge in my book so why would I want to add to that by taking on something that is known for being harder than your usual cookie. I am here today to set the record straight! Rugelach is not hard to make, I actually found it to be extremely easy and fun. So if you had hesitation about making rugelach I am telling you hesitate no longer, jump right in!
I received three delicious cookies this year; check out these red velvet cookies from Trang of Wild Wild Whisk, also the delightful chocolate chunk cookies from Maryanne at The Little Epicurean, and last but not least the delicate and delicious cookies from Corinne at Reverberations. I sent these little nuggets to Cortney at Little Red Hen, Prudy at Butter, Basil, and Breadcrumbs, and Jamie at the Kitchenarium. I hope you all enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed sending them to you.
See you next year food blogger cookie swap!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 Tsp. Salt
- 6 Oz. Cream Cheese (room temp)
- 1 1/4 Cups Butter
- 2 Tbsp. Sour Cream
- 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Cinnamon Sugar (cinnamon and sugar combined)
- 1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cream cheese and mix on low speed until combined. Add the butter a little bit at a time, mix on low speed until all butter is added and the dough starts to form large clumps. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix to combine.
- Remove dough from the bowl and gently roll to form a large ball. Cut the ball in to four equal pieces and wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough one at a time from the fridge. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface in to a circle approximately 10 inches wide. Drizzle 1 tbsp. of maple syrup on the dough, using the spoon to spread out evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with cinnamon and sugar and the mini chocolate chips. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough in to 12-14 triangle wedges. The more wedges you cut the smaller the cookies will be.
- Starting at the wide end roll the dough towards the center creating a crescent shaped cookie. Some of filling may spill out which is ok. Sprinkle additional cinnamon and sugar on each cookie before baking.
- Place cookies on lined baking sheet and bake 15-18 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Let cookies cool on sheet before removing to a cooling rack.
My kiddos loved these! It was our first time eating rugelach. Hope your Hanukka was lovely <3
I am so glad to hear that your first time eating them was good! Thank you for the kind words, happy holidays to you and yours!