Dictionary

rugelach en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈruːɡələx/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Yiddish ראָגאַל (rogal) with plural suffix ־לעך (-lekh), from Polish rogal (“crescent roll”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A type of Jewish pastry, which may be filled with various fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc.
   • Rugelach is thought to have the same origin—this staple of Ashkenazi Jewish baking spread across the world and became popular, especially in the US, but not quite to the extent of its French half-brother. 2024 April 27, Itamar Srulovich, “The croissant, but better”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22:
   • Then he ambles to his dressing room, where rugelach and carrot sticks sit on a coffee table for a postshow nosh. 2007 April 1, Jane Wollman Rusoff, “Funny Things Happened on the Way to the Condo”, in New York Times:
   • And while you’re there, you can pick up a babka, which you’ve heard about (a twisted, sweet chocolate loaf) and a bag of rugelach which you might not have (crescent-shaped chocolate pastries). 2022, Laura Goodman, “A schmear campaign”, in The Joy of Snacks […], London: Headline Publishing Group, →ISBN:
   • Tiny and pretty, these little rose jam–stuffed rugelach are found in Poland with or without an almond paste filling. The flavor combination is one I was surprised to find in Poland and one that I’d never seen in American rugelach. 2025 October 14, Laurel Kratochvila, “Rose and Almond Jewel Rugelach: Rogaliki z Różą i Migdałami”, in Dobre Dobre: Baking from Poland and Beyond, San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books, →ISBN:

Forms

Relateds

rogalik

Translations (3)

pl rugelach (pastry) · he רוגעלך (pastry) · yi ראָגאַל (pastry)