This Nutella Pecan Rugelach is always a holiday favorite! Buttery, flaky pastry filled with a Nutella pecan filling that’s just to die for!
As promised, another holiday cookie to add to your baking list folks! And this one is an absolute must!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with rugelach, it’s a traditional crescent-shaped Jewish pastry which typically consists of a buttery, cream cheese dough that can be filled with a variety of fillings like nuts, cinnamon, chocolate or fruit preserves.
My version today, is my all time favorite. I mean, can anyone really go wrong with Nutella? And combined with a mixture of toasted pecans, cinnamon, granulated sugar and brown sugar, and you’ve got a sweet little treat that will fly off your holiday cookie tray!
The dough can be made in a snap, but needs to be refrigerated for an hour or two before rolling, so take that into account when doing your planning. While the dough is chilling you can make your pecan brown sugar filling, which is a combo granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. So easy!
Once the dough is chilled, simply roll it into a circle, spread on a yummy, decadent layer of Nutella, top it with your pecan mixture and then cut it into wedges. Roll up the wedges, refrigerate again for 30 minutes, then brush the rugelach with an egg wash, and bake. I sprinkle mine with a bit of extra granulated sugar before baking, but you can also dust with confectioner’s sugar after they’re baked if you’d rather.
These take a wee more time, because of the chilling needed, but they’re oh so worth it! Perfect for your holiday cookie trays, for gifting, or with your afternoon coffee or tea! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 8- oz. package cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Filling:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans toasted and finely chopped
- 1 cup Nutella
- Egg Wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
- Garnish: extra granulated sugar for sprinkling or confectioner's sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer to low, and add the flour and salt just until combined. Place the dough onto a well floured surface and shape into a large ball. Cut the ball into four equal pieces and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon and toasted pecans. (To toast your pecans, place on baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes until fragrant. When cooled, finely chop.)
- On a well floured surface, roll out once disc at a time (keep others refrigerated until ready to use) into a 9-inch circle. Spread with about 1/4 cup Nutella, evenly over the dough about 1-inch in from the outer edge, and then sprinkle with a quarter of the filling mixture. Cut the dough into 12 pie-shaped wedges. Starting at the wide end, roll up each wedge.
- Place two inches apart with the point tucked under on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush each cookie with egg wash and then sprinkle with some granulated sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining discs of dough.
Holy moly goodness! These definitely needs to be part of my holiday cookie tray!! These sound (and look) absolutely divine, my friend! You make it look too easy! Gotta try these over the holidays :) Pinned! Cheers to a lovely weekend! XO
Yay! Hope you enjoy them Dawn! I shared this year with friends and they were a hit!
That sounds like heaven served with a cup of coffee. Love it!
My favorite Alida!
You seriously need to write a cookie cookbook, Mare!!! You make such gorgeous and delicious cookies and these are no exception!! I love rugelach, and this flavor combo is brilliant!! Perfect for the holidays!! Pinned of course! Cheers, my sweet friend!! Xoxo
You’re so sweet Chey! Thank you! This is my favorite filling combo! Have an awesome weekend!
I could see myself eating way too many of these! So so yummy!
Believe me, I did the same thing!
Literally heaven!!! Is there anything better than Nutella?
Nope!
I think this may be my favorite treat by you so far. Amazing!
Thanks Matt! These are quite addictive!
It’s hard to choose a favorite of your recipes – but I might be with Matt – who can resist Nutella? Love these, Mary Ann!
Thanks Annie! I shared these with good friends and they were a total hit!
You are really outdoing yourself Mary Ann! These little rolled up treasures are too cute and I’m sure very tasty.
Thanks Gerlinde! I bet you’d love them!
YES to nutella anything! These look like perfection!
Can’t beat Nutella Sarah!
You really can’t go wrong with Nutella! These look so delicious, and I love the addition of the toasted pecans. These would be perfect with my Saturday morning coffee!!
I agree Leanne! I love the pecans too!
You weren’t kidding when you said to wait for the next recipe! Love the homemade dough for these, looks perfectly goldeny-goodness! Love it!
P.S. Your food photography is out of this world, every picture looks mouthwatering.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Matt! Hope you give them a try! They’re a favorite here!
I seriously need to stop looking at your page late at night. I’m tempted to go into the kitchen and make a batch of these now! That Nutella filling…these are great, Mary Ann!!
Lol! Go for it Katherine! We all deserve a little treat around the holidays!
I need to add this to my cookie rotation, especially since it has my fave Nutella!
Hope you enjoy them if you try Naomi!
OMG!!! So happy I found your blog! The photos are amazing :)
I’m so glad you did too Neta! Thanks for following along!
I adore rugelach, and miss them from my growing up in New York ~ Nutella just takes it over the top ~ sharing!
LOVE Nutella Sue! Happy Holidays!
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing for a Nutella addict like myself!!
Hope you give them a try Cathleen!
WOW these rugelach look amazing!!!
Thanks so much Natalie!
Not only do these sound completely drool-worthy, they are completely adorable. Perfect party app or edible gift!
Thanks Marissa!
These look so yummy!
Thanks Jennifer!
The nutella in these sounds incredible!
Can’t beat Nutella Tieghan!
To die for is exactly how I would describe these! What a great holiday treat!
Thanks Lindsay!
Those look ridiculously amazing! Pinning!
Thanks Christina! You’d love them!
You’ve got another winner! I would love to be at your house this time of year! All this amazing baking going on. There would be wonderful nibbles and amazing smells coming from the kitchen!
Thanks so much Kathy! You’re always welcome!
love these! so festive and delicious!
Thanks Alice!
You had me at Nutella – these look incredible! :)
I think I’ve got everyone at Nutella!