Savory Pumpkin Cheddar Rugelach
Savory Pumpkin Cheddar Rugelach! These tasty, savory bites are a perfect fall appetizer made with pumpkin puree, aged cheddar wrapped in a tender, flaky cream cheese pastry dough.
Servings: 16 rugelach
Ingredients
For Pastry
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground sage or ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ shredded aged cheddar like Cabot Farmhouse Reserve
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
Make Pastry Dough
- Place all pastry ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until the dough comes together into a ball. (Do not over-process.)
- Place dough on a floured surface and roll out into a circle, about 14 inches round. (It's easier if you do this on top of a piece of parchment or something that can be moved.)
- Refrigerate the dough until you're ready to spread with filling. It's easier to work with when slightly chilled.
Make Pumpkin Filling
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion; cook until soft and translucent and tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Sprinkle the onions with sea salt, ground sage and chili powder; stir, and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the pumpkin puree. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the pumpkin has lost some of its moisture.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Cut & Roll Rugelach
- Starting at the wider end of each triangle, carefully roll it up. Lift and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all pieces are rolled.
- Beat together an egg and a teaspoon or two of water to make an egg wash. Brush each piece with a bit of egg wash.
Bake
- Bake for the rugelach for 22-25 minutes or until the they are browned.
- Remove them from oven and allow them to cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes before moving. (They can be fragile when warm but will firm up once they cool.)
Notes
Slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour
Variations
- Use your favorite cheese in place of cheddar. Smoked gouda, Monterey Jack or even goat cheese would work well.
- Add cooked, crumbled sausage or bacon for a meaty version.
- Add half a teaspoon of red chili flakes to the filling for a hint of spice.
- Gluten Free. Use your favorite one-to-one gluten free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour. I have not tested this, but think it would work.
- Dairy-Free/Vegan. Use a plant-based cream cheese and plant based butter in place of regular. I have not tried this myself so I am not sure if the texture of the dough would be exactly the same, but I think it's worth a try.