White Chocolate Matcha Rugelach - Hill Reeves

Turns out I can't make hamantaschen. I've tried so many times, asked experts for recipes, and tried again. But after the gooey, messy attempt that was this year's Purim cookies, I think I'm officially giving up for the time being. I made my dough and followed the rules and let it rest in the fridge overnight. Once I shaped my cooked and stuck em in the oven.... they just pooped out their filling and smooshed all over the place. Ugh!

Rugelach, though, I can do. And these matcha white chocolate rugelach are so good that I think I can let the hamantaschen go for the time being.

When I lived on the Upper West Side, I'd drag Danny along for trips to Zabar's where we'd wait on long lines at the deli counter and then, at the register, reach our fists into huge cookie jars and pull out one rugelach each--I think one was like 75¢. They were as buttery as pie crust, wrapped around a cinnamony, chocolatey, nutty filling and I'd never tasted anything like it before or since. I don't really have the one that got away feelings about any man, but I do feel it about these cookies (yes, I know they're just a subway ride away, but I could probably say that about your one that got away and what are you gonna do about it, huh?).

Allow me to take a little detour here to celebrate the craft of Jewish cookies and pastries. From babka to macaroons to sufganiyot, they're all some of my favorite sweets. And thinking about challah or rugelach or hamantaschen, they're all so humble yet delicately constructed. The perfect form of baking/desserts.

These cookies should be a year-round snack, you guys. I filled these buttery rugelach with cream cheese and butter and then brushed them with more butter. Not too sweet, not too un-sweet, they're Goldilocks levels of juuuuust right. They accompany a cup of coffee or tea absolutely perfectly. I'm proud enough of these babies to let the hamantaschen thing go... for a bit!

White Chocolate Matcha Rugelach

1/2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 lb cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp matcha powder
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

With an electric beater, cream together butter and cream cheese. With mixer on low, add in salt and flour, a bit at a time, until combined. Turn dough out onto a clean surface, shape dough into a short/fat log, cut into thirds, wrap pieces in plastic wrap, and refrigerate dough overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil. Combine sugar and matcha powder in a small bowl.
Roll out one of the pieces of dough into a large circle, with about a 10-inch diameter. Brush the circle with melted butter and then sprinkle liberally with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips.
Cut dough like a pizza, creating 8 triangular pieces. Roll each piece from the wide end to the tip of the triangle to create crescent-shaped cookies. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining thirds of dough/sugar mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Let cool and serve!