Chocolate Pretzel Rugelach
Totally twisted! Chocolate pretzel rugelach is everything you love about the classic cookie – flaky cream cheese pastry, rich chocolate filling – with a salty, crunchy pretzel upgrade that takes it somewhere new. My Bubbe always made rugelach with cinnamon sugar. She’d probably raise an eyebrow at the pretzels. But I think she’d eat four of them.
I developed this recipe for Food Network for Jewish American Heritage Month. Rugelach felt like the obvious choice. It’s one of those Jewish cookies that even non-Jewish people know and love, and it’s endlessly riffable. The pretzel addition gives you that sweet-salty thing that makes it impossible to eat just one.
Why this recipe works
- Cream cheese dough: ultra-flaky, slightly tangy, and easy to work with once it’s properly chilled.
- Melted chocolate filling: spreads evenly and sets up beautifully when baked.
- Crushed pretzels: add crunch and saltiness that cuts through the richness. Don’t skip them.
- Freeze before baking: 30 minutes in the freezer keeps the cookies from spreading and helps them hold their shape.
Tips for perfect rugelach
Keep the dough cold. This is the most important thing. Cold dough = flaky layers. If it warms up while you’re rolling, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Don’t overmix the dough. Pulse just until it comes together. Chunks of butter are your friend.
Make it ahead. The dough can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months. You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked cookies and bake straight from frozen.
Get the full recipe for Chocolate Pretzel Rugelach over on Food Network!
If you love rugelach, also try my Nutella Rugelach — same great dough, Nutella filling.
