Having a father who was an elementary school principal meant that around the holidays, our home was full to the brim with all manner of Christmas cookies, fudge, candy, and more. So many sweet and kind people made sure to send some of their home-baked treats to our family, and for the most part I was thrilled. Every time I went past the kitchen I couldn’t resist nibbling on a cookie or my very favorite fudge. But rugelach were more like a B list treat to me, only worthy of my attention after all of the A listers had been eaten.
This version is a bit different than a traditional rugelach, but that is exactly what drew me to this recipe. They still begin with a base of cream cheese dough and there are nuts inside, but this version also includes raspberry jam and dark chocolate in the filling. These simple changes took these cookies from B list to A list holiday treat, in my book at least. The cream cheese dough is rich and tender, and the combination of chocolate, raspberry, and almond in the filling is oh so good. I found these completely irresistible and kept finding excuses to wander past the kitchen for just one more bite. These would be a lovely addition to any holiday gift package, and can definitely hold their own amongst all the other confections.