Grandma's Raspberry Rugelach — The Sweet That Follows Ruth Into Every Room

Hanukkah. The menorah at home, lit alone on the first night. The menorah at Cedarhurst, lit with Marvin on the second night. The two menorahs, the two locations, the split life of a woman who celebrates every holiday twice — once for herself and once for her husband, once in the house and once in the room, once in the silence and once in the presence that is also a kind of silence.

The latkes. Always the latkes. I fried them in the kitchen and brought them to Cedarhurst still warm, wrapped in foil, the grease seeping through the paper, the smell of fried potatoes filling the hallway, and the staff said, "Mrs. Feldman's here!" because they can smell me coming, because the latkes announce me before I arrive, because the food is the herald, the food is the calling card, the food is the way Ruth Feldman enters a room: food-first, always food-first.

Marvin ate three latkes. Three. He ate them with sour cream (I brought the sour cream separately, in a small container, because the sour cream must be applied at the moment of consumption, not before, because a pre-soured latke is a soggy latke and soggy is unacceptable). He ate the latkes and the sour cream and he was calm and the eating was the Hanukkah, and the Hanukkah was the light, and the light was in his room, two candles on the nightstand, and the light was enough.

Marvin ate three latkes, and that was the miracle — but I always bring something sweet to follow, because a holiday without something sweet at the end is just a meal. These rugelach are what I set on the nightstand after the foil came off, after the sour cream was gone, after the menorah had done its job. Grandma’s raspberry rugelach are the thing I make when I need the food to say what I cannot: that I was here, that I came, that I am still coming.

Grandma’s Raspberry Rugelach

Prep Time: 30 min + 2 hr chill | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: ~3 hr | Servings: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 8 oz cream cheese, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup raspberry jam, stirred smooth
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the cold butter and cream cheese and work them in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sour cream just until the dough comes together — do not overwork it.
2. Chill. Divide the dough into 4 equal discs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cold dough is essential for flaky layers.
3. Preheat. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Prepare the filling. Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside alongside the jam and chopped nuts.
5. Roll and fill. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc into a circle roughly 10–11 inches in diameter. Spread about 3 tbsp of raspberry jam evenly over the surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Scatter 3 tbsp of chopped nuts over the jam, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tbsp of the cinnamon sugar.
6. Cut and roll. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the circle into 12 wedges (like a pizza). Starting at the wide outer edge of each wedge, roll toward the point and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough discs.
7. Egg wash and top. Brush each rugelach with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar.
8. Bake. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until the rugelach are golden brown and the jam is just beginning to bubble at the edges. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 92 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 44mg