Vegan chocolate rugelach recipe with delicate layers of pastry! This post includes step-by-step pictures of how to make rugelach.
What is rugelach?
Rugelach is a crescent-shaped pastry often pronounced as 'ru-ger-lark' or 'ru-ger-lac'. Even though they look similar to croissants, they are more dense. I'd describe them as a cross between croissants and brioche.
Rugelach recipes seem to have origins in Jewish culture in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe. These days it's very common in Israel (where I tried it) and in the American Jewish communities. In Australia, I personally haven't seen it in shops but my partner (who is half Eastern European) says he grew up with it!
There are two types of rugelach recipes: a yeasted version and a biscuit version. Both usually have a crescent-like shape and filled with chocolate, jams, poppy seeds or nuts. This recipe is for the yeasted version!
This rugelach recipe is:
- Flaky with lots of beautiful layers
- Moist and not too dry, when fresh
- Not too sweet
What ingredients are in this vegan chocolate rugelach recipe?
This yeasted rugelach recipe uses:
- Plain flour
- Cane sugar (make sure it's organic if you're vegan)
- Plant-based milk
- Instant dried yeast
- Plant-based butter
- Cream cheese
The ratios of ingredients are based on my extremely tried and tested recipes of vegan brioche and chocolate babka. I strongly recommend checking out those posts to see what your dough should look like before you assemble your rugelach.
New York's Breads Bakery uses babka dough as the base of their rugelach recipe - I haven't tried their version but in order to create a flaky pastry, I did the same for this! Plus, if you already know a recipe works, stick with it!
If you would like to make cinnamon rugelach, use the butter, sugar and cinnamon filling of my cinnamon babka.
Cream cheese in rugelach recipes?
For this rugelach, I replaced half the butter with cream cheese in my original brioche dough. This makes the dough richer and more like pastry.
Adding cream cheese to the rugelach recipe seems to be an Americanisation of the traditional pastry and a common practice in the Western world. People who grew up with these pastries may think it's a little odd to have cream cheese in the recipe.
However, I think it's similar to how pizza in Italy is very different from pizza in other countries. Or vegan sushi in Japan is nothing like vegan sushi around the world!
Ingredient substitutions for this rugelach recipe
If you don't have all the ingredients at home or you have particular dietary preferences, here are possible substitutions:
- Sugar: To make the rugelach refined sugar free, you can use coconut sugar instead of cane sugar.
- Yeast: I haven't tried this recipe with different types of yeast but if you do, let me know!
- Butter: Can be substituted with oil
- Cream cheese: Can be substituted with butter or oil
- Chocolate: Make a cinnamon sugar filling using the filling of my cinnamon babka.
I've been told that bakeries in Israel often use oil instead of butter in order to make it parve / pareve to accommodate the large Jewish kosher community... sooo using oil instead of butter doesn't make the vegan rugelach less 'authentic'!
How to make chocolate rugelach: Method 1
There are two ways to assemble this rugelach recipe. This first method is easy, quick and results in a slightly layered pastry.
Once you've made and rested your dough, you'll need to shape it! Roll out the dough into a circular shape (like a pizza). Make sure you roll the dough as thinly as possible as it'll give you pastry more delicious layers.
Spread your chocolate ganache to the edges and cut the dough into segments.
Once you've cut your dough, start from the edge and roll up each segment to make little 'snails'.
These vegan chocolate rugelach are elegant, cute and didn't need much effort! Place them on a lined baking tray and let them rest. You've worked with the dough enough and you've worked enough yourself!
How to make chocolate rugelach: Method 2
Using the same rugelach recipe, the second assembly method is more time-consuming. Basically, you 'laminate' or fold layers of chocolate into the dough. It's easy but just takes a bit of time - here are pictures to walk you through the process.
Roll the dough into a long rectangular shape and spread some of the ganache on the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third of dough and cold up the bottom third.
You'll eventually have a 'parcel' which needs to be placed in the fridge to rest and chill.
After it's rested, flatten/roll the dough into a long rectangular shape again. Your dough may quite firm at this stage so consider the rolling 'free exercise'!
Repeat the spreading/folding steps above. So, spread chocolate ganache on two thirds of the dough and fold. Set aside and chill the dough.
Once you've done that, you need to:
- Roll out the dough one last time
- Spread the chocolate ganache on the entire surface
- Cut into long segments and shape as desired
Laminating the dough results in a super flaky pastry with LOTS of layers! I'm always up for short cuts BUT the second method is well worth the patience and hard work! The pastry is soo much more fun and delicious to eat :).
Rugelach recipe: Method 1 vs Method 2
In the below picture, the left uses 'Method 2' and has many delicate layers. The right uses 'Method 1' and has one distinct layer.
My partner and I prefer eating rugelach using 'Method 2' as there are more layers. However, it takes a lot more time and patience!
Check out my other vegan pastry and bread recipes
Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe
Ingredients
Dough*
- 2 cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour, or bread flour
- ¼ cup (60g) dairy-free milk
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, brown or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons (40g) vegan butter, room temperature (note 1)
- 3 tablespoons (45g) vegan cream cheese, (note 2)
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast, (note 3 for other types of yeast)
- Pinch of salt, if your butter is not salted
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- ¼ cup (60g) thick scoopable canned coconut cream
- ½ cup (50g) roughly chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips, 70% dark sweetened or chocolate of choice
Sugar Glaze
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
- Dash of water
Instructions
To make the dough:
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer and mix until it comes together. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes or until the dough becomes soft, stretchy and comes away from the side of the bowl. If it continues to stick, add a little more flour and knead again.
- Leave the dough in the bowl or stand mixer, cover with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. See my vegan brioche recipe for pictures on what your dough should look like.
To make the ganache:
- Add both ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat. Mix until just melted and set aside to cool. It *must* be cool before you spread it on the dough.
Assembling the rugelach:
- Method 1: Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a circular shape as thin as possible. Spread all the ganache onto the circle. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut around 12 segments in the dough (like a pizza). Starting from the long edge, roll each segment into a rugelach shape.
- Method 2: Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and spread some of the ganache on the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third of dough and fold up the bottom third forming a 'parcel'. Set aside to chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Flatten the 'parcel' with a rolling pin into a rectangle. With some more ganache, repeat the spreading, folding and chilling of the dough. After the dough has chilled twice, flatten the dough for the last time and spread the remaining ganache on the surface. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough in half and a zig zag motion to create triangular segments. Starting from the long edge, roll each segment into a rugelach shape.
Resting the rugelach:
- Place each rugelach on a lined baking tray, with the tip of the dough underneath. Loosely cover the tray and allow the rugelach to rest and rise for at least 1 hour until they're slightly puffy. Or you can put them in the fridge and bake them tomorrow.
Baking the rugelach:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the rugelach for 10-15 minutes or until they are slightly golden.
- To make the sugar glaze, add all ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix until the sugar has melted.
- Brush the warm rugelach with the sugar glaze. Enjoy on the day of baking or store in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Notes
- Vegan butter spreads or margarine will also work but your pastries will be less flaky. The higher amount of fat in your butter, spread or margarine, the flakier your rugelach will be.
- I used Miyoko's Plain Cultured Cream Cheese. You can substitute this for butter or a light-flavoured oil.
- Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. However, if you use another type of yeast, combine it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.
Nutrition
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Hi! In the beginning of the article you wrote that this recipe requires active dry yeast, but in the ingredients you listed instant dry yeast. Can you clarify which it should be since they’re not the same thing? Thank you!
Sorry, that was a typo - I've now updated the post!
I tried the second method for my first time, and they were delicious! Definitely not the prettiest with my messy rolling but they kind of had the rustic thing going for them haha. The sugar was pretty hard to work with since it hardens so quickly, but overall it's a fun and easy recipe.
Aw I'm so glad you enjoyed these! And haha I hear you, it can be a little messy rolling it! Thanks Stacey!
Hello!!
Would Method 2 work fine if using oil instead of vegan butter?.
Hey! I haven't tried it so can't vouch for results but I'd say it would work *if* you keep your dough cold! Also, if you use oil instead of butter, you may only need to add 2 tbsp (too much will make your dough too soft)
I am a sourdough enthusiast and I have already tried the sourdough cinnamon rolls, which I loved. I was wondering if there is a way to substitute instant yeast with sourdough starter in this one.
Thank you for your recipes!
So glad you loved the sourdough cinnamon rolls! Yes, I'd say they'd work with a sourdough starter. Try around 1/4 cup (50g) of the starter and add maybe a few tablespoons more flour to get the dough to the right consistency. I hope that helps!
I've been wanting to make rugelach for a long time, and a snow day was a perfect condition for it! I am so glad I found this recipe online. I really appreciated how approachable all of the directions were – and the thorough explanation of the various methods! So delectable, perfect vegan pastries came out of the oven. Thank you, Rainbow Nourishments!
Aw that's so kind of you Emily! Making these warm pastries on a snow day sound absolutely perfect and so glad you found all the directions helpful! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback xo
Absolutely love this recipe! So happy to discover this fantastic page! For the filling, we chose the blackcurrant jam, and the rugelach come so delicious! Can't wait to make it now with the Chocolate Ganache Filling! Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m so glad to hear Ewa & Piotr! Blackcurrant jam sounds so lovely. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback xo
I have a question: if you use a filling other than chocolate, like jam, or a cinnamon-nut-raising mixture, how do you adapt method 2? Can you use the folding/"laminating" technique with other fillings? Thanks!
If you make a cinnamon-nut mixture, method 2 is the same but it'll just be a little chunkier to roll. For jam, I'd recommend reducing the jam on the stovetop before you use it to make sure it doesn't ooze out the sides. I made berry jam rolls using the laminating method in this post where you can see step by step pictures. Hope that helps!
Yes thank you! When I was googling around about rugelach methods, the only recipes I found that used a "fold" or a variation on lamination with regard to the filling (there were some articles that talked about using traditionally butter-laminated dough, like croissant dough, but that's not what I was looking for) were chocolate rugelach recipes, so I wondered if there was some reason the technique wouldn't work with other fillings.
Though I did find one recipe by Melissa Weller, in a book called The Good Bake - she uses strawberry jam and hazelnuts "laminates" the rugelach dough with regular granulated sugar; in the second fold, she rolls out the dough on a sugar-sprinkled surface, and sprinkles sugar onto the top of the dough as well, which sounded interesting.
Anyway, thanks for the response!
I'm sure this tastes so good! I'm planning on trying this on the weekend and I'm so excited about it! Thank you so much for sharing!
They definitely were! Let me know how you go with them!
Awesome recipe Anthea! Thanks for sharing. Next time I’ll make raspberry rugelach.
Glad you like the recipe Denise! And I LOVE the sound of raspberry rugelach!!