Step 1

1 Make the dough: Place the butter and cream cheese on the counter and let them soften for about 10 minutes; you want them still cold

Step 2

2 Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, and scatter over the chunks of butter and cream cheese

Step 3

3 Pulse the processor 5 to 10 times, until the mixture looks shaggy

Step 4

4 Then process the dough, pausing the motor to scrape down sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds

Step 5

5 Don’t overwork it to the point where it forms a ball on the blade

Step 6

6 Turn the dough out, gather it into a 5-by-3-inch brick, and divide it into four equal pieces

Step 7

7 Shape each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap

Step 8

8 Refrigerate the dough until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight

Step 9

9 You can also freeze the dough, tightly wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap, for up to 3 months

Step 10

10 Make the filling: While the dough chills, in a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until combined

Step 11

11 In another medium bowl, stir together the chopped nuts and dried fruit

Step 12

12 In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the jam until it’s loose and liquid

Step 13

13 Make the rugelach: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

Step 14

14 On a lightly floured surface, working quickly with one disk at a time, roll each disk out to a 12-inch circle; it’s okay if the circle isn’t perfect

Step 15

15 (If you start feeling the dough getting sticky and too warm, dust it with a whisper of flour

Step 16

16 ) Using a pastry brush, coat the dough with a thin layer of jam, then sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar, and follow with a quarter of the nut-and-fruit mixture

Step 17

17 Take a large piece of wax paper and gently press it over the filling so it better adheres to the dough

Step 18

18 Then, using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into 12 wedges: Begin by cutting the dough into quarters and then cut each quarter into thirds

Step 19

19 Set the wax paper aside for the following dough disks

Step 20

20 Roll each piece of dough into a crescent from the wide end to the tip

Step 21

21 Transfer to a baking sheet, making sure the tip of each crescent is under the cookie

Step 22

22 Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes

Step 23

23 Repeat with one more dough disk

Step 24

24 While the rugelach are chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds of the oven

Step 25

25 In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 teaspoon water until combined

Step 26

26 Brush each crescent with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar

Step 27

27 Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden

Step 28

28 Transfer the rugelach to wire racks and let cool to warm or room temperature before serving

Step 29

29 Repeat with the remaining two dough disks