Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (2024)

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Vegan chocolate rugelach recipe with delicate layers of pastry! This post includes step-by-step pictures of how to make rugelach.

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (1)

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. 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?

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (2)

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.

Many Jewish people use oil instead of butter in rugelach to make it parve / pareve, which means that oil-based rugelach isn't any less 'authentic' than if using butter.

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.

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (3)

Once you've cut your dough, start from the edge and roll up each segment to make little 'snails'.

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (4)

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!

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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.

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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.

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (7)

Once you've done that, you need to:

  1. Roll out the dough one last time
  2. Spread the chocolate ganache on the entire surface
  3. Cut into long segments and shape as desired
Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (8)

Laminating the dough results in a super flaky pastry with LOTS of layers! I'm always up for shortcuts BUT the second method is well worth the patience and hard work! The pastry is soo much more fun and delicious to eat :).

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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!

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (10)
Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (11)

Check out my other vegan pastry and bread recipes

  • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
  • Jam donut babka (vegan)
  • Vegan Chocolate Babka (simple and easy)
  • Buttery Vegan Brioche

Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe

Vegan chocolate rugelach recipe with delicate layers of pastry! This post includes step-by-step pictures of how to make rugelach.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Resting Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Cuisine: American, Jewish, Vegan

Servings: 20 small rugelach pastries

Author: Anthea

Ingredients

Dough

Chocolate Ganache Filling

Sugar Glaze

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 of 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 on top. 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 the 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 15-20 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown.

  • 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

  1. 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.
  2. I used Miyoko's Plain Cultured Cream Cheese. Or you can substitute this with more butter.
  3. Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. If you use another type of yeast, mix it with warm milk from the recipe and a pinch of sugar. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 rugelach | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

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Vegan Chocolate Rugelach Recipe: two methods (2024)

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