Start by preheating the oven to 400F and lining 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the filling by mixing the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together with a hand mixer. Set aside.
Unwrap one circle of malawach and place it in between two pieces of parchment paper. Gently roll out the malawach to make it a little larger.
Spread half of the cream cheese filling onto the malawach.
In between another two pieces of parchment, roll out a second malawach.
Place it on top of the cream cheese filling piece.
Spread half of the jam over the second piece of malawach.
Cut the rugelach into 16 pieces.
Starting at the longest end, roll up the rugelach and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with two more sheets of malawach.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden.
While the rugelach are baking, make the simple syrup. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
When the rugelach are baked, brush with the simple syrup immediately after removing them from the oven.
