Last updated on July 25th, 2025.
Pistachio Rugelach are buttery, flaky crescents, filled with a thick layer of homemade pistachio cream and are perfect for holidays, tea time, or as an everyday indulgence.
There is something so confirming and homey in Rugelach. This time, the beloved Jewish pastry, gets a nutty and flavorful twist with the addition of rich, hearty layer of homemade Pistachio Frangipane. I love how the dough is easy to make, simple, versatile and a cross between a soft and tender pastry to a crisp and crumbly cookies. It’s like a pillowy Pistachio Babka had a baby with A crisp Pistchio Shortbread cookies.
Ingredients
For the dough
- Unsalted butter and cream cheese. Both should be very cold and cut into 1-inch pieces. The combination of the butter and cream cheese is what gives the dough its flaky, rich and buttery texture.
- All-purpose flour and powdered sugar. This dough is sweetened slightly with powdered sugar to to help the dough keep its shape without spreading. It also increases the softness texture of the pastry.
For the filling and Finish
- My homemade Pistachio frangipane. These cookies are bake at a high temperature, so we need a thicker filling that won’t run out of the dough as it bakes.
- Chopped white and or milk chocolate. This is optional, white chocolate adds creamy sweetness, while the milk chocolate elevates it into a whole new and unique profile of flavor.
- Egg yolk. I like to brush the little crescents with egg yolk for a shiny golden brown look.
Make The Dough
The dough can be made at least an hour and up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate.
- Measure the flour and powdered sugar in a bowl of a food processor and pulse with half of the butter about 8 times.
- Add the rest of the butter and cream cheese and process for about 10 seconds. At this point the mixture should look crumbly but easy to press into a dough.
- Press the dough into a disk, divide into four then wrap each part with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Shape and Bake
- Unwrap one pice of the dough and roll it over a lightly flour surface into a 9 or 10-inch circle. (I use the lid of my pan to cut the edges).
- Spread about 1/4 cup of pistachio cream over the dough, then sprinkle with the chopped chocolate of your choice.
- Use a sharp knife, or a pizza wheel to divide the dough into 16 equal wedges.
- Gently roll each wedge into a crescent starting from the wide end towards the pointy one.
- Place the crescent on a rimmed cookie sheet line with parchment paper, then brush with the egg yolk. Bake.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If the dough is too sticky, it might be not cold emough and the butter is melting. Place it back in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes and work fast.
- Make sure to rotate the dough every 2-3 strokes as you roll the dough. Flour your work surface along with your rolling pin (but just a dusk at a time) as needed.
- As the cookies bake and the butter melts, it will ooze out so make sure to use a rimmed baking sheet to avoid any spills.
- Do not over fill the cookies, as they bake the filing puffs and it might cause the crescents to open up.
Yields
This recipe makes about 36 rugelach cookies, depending on how thinly you slice each round. They’re small but rich, so they’re perfect for sharing—or stashing in your cookie jar for personal treats.
Storing
Once completely cooled, pistachio rugelach can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in layers separated by parchment paper for up to 2 months. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.
To refresh the cookies, warm then for 10 minutes at a 300F preheated oven.
Pistachio Rugelach Recipe
Flaky, buttery cream cheese based dough filled with homemade pistachio cream.
Servings 48 cookies
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 1 Cup (225g) Unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 Cup (225g) Cream cheese, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 Cups (240g) All-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons Powdered sugar
For the filling and finishing
- 1 recipe Pistachio Frangipane
- 1/2 Cup (85g) Chopped white chocolate
- 1/2 Cup (85g) Chopped milk chocolate
- 2 Large Egg yolks, for egg wash
Instructions
Make the dough
- Measure the flour, powdered sugar and half of the butter (113g) into a bowl of a food processor and pulse for about 8 times. The butter should be the size of small peas.
- Add the rest of the butter and the cream cheese and process for about 10 seconds. The mixture should look very crumbly and easy to press into a dough.
- Mount the mixture on a clean work surface and use your hands to press it into a disk of dough.
- Divide the dough into four equal parts, tightly wrap each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum of 1 hours and up to 48 hours.
Shape and Bake
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and line a large rimmed cookies sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove of part of the dough from the refrigerator and roll it over a lightly floured, clean work surface into an 9 or 10-inch (24cm) circle.
- Spread the dough with 1/4 cupf of the pistachio cream and sprinlt with 1/4 cup of chopped chocolate.
- Use a sharp knife, or a pizza wheel to slice the dough into 16 wedges.
- Roll each wedge starting from the wide end towards to pointy tip to create the crescent shape.
- Brush the cookies with the egg yolks.
- Place the crescent over the prepared baking pan and bake over the middle oven rack for 18-22 minutes. Until the cookies are golden brown and puffed.
- Remove from the oven and allow to set and cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before inverting and shaping.
Notes
- Store in an airtight containers or up to 7 days or freeze for up to two months.
- Warm the cookies at 300F preheated oven for about 10 minutes for a fresh texture.
- If the dough it too sticky, place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- Make sure to lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin as needed.
