Hamantaschen Recipe - Tips to Make the Perfect Purim Cookie (2024)

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Hamantaschen are a classic dessert for the Jewish holiday of Purim. They are cookies designed to look like the triangular hat that the villain of the Purim story, Haman, wore.

Hamantaschen dough is really easy to make and requires no refrigeration time! The filling options for Hamantaschen are endless – from poppy seed filling to all kinds of jams, chocolate, and more. I share lots of unique ideas in this post as well as tips and tricks for how to get the triangular cookies to hold their shape.

Hamantaschen Recipe - Tips to Make the Perfect Purim Cookie (1)

There is a bit of a rift in the Jewish community as to what the perfect hamantaschen texture should be.

Some like their hamantaschen cakey, while others, like myself, prefer the crisp cookie variety. My recipe is crispy and crunchy.

As all good Jewish recipes should be, this recipe for hamantaschen was passed down from my mom. She got the recipe from the 1955 Peekskill Cookbook (I presume that it was a fundraising cookbook for some organization in her town). The hamantaschen recipe was submitted to the cookbook by Dora Levin. Dora, I don’t know who you are or if you are still alive, but your recipe is now famous!

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How to Make Hamantaschen

Mix the dough and roll it out to 1/8″ thick. I like to roll between two silicone mats. This helps keep the dough from sticking.

Tip: You can use the same dough to make more cakey hamantaschen by rolling to 1/4″ thick instead of 1/8″ thick.

Cut the dough into circles any size that you like. You can use cookie cutters or the rim of a glass. I make mine with a 3 1/2 inch diameter circle.

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Next, put a dollop of your filling in the middle of each circle.

DO NOT put too much filling or it will overflow.

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Now, the trick is to turn the circle into a triangle.

What many people do is pinch the circle to create to the triangle.

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We Jews seem to have a thing for pinching. [Insert mental image of a Jewish grandma squeezing a baby’s cheeks and saying, “Such a shayna punim (pretty face).”] When I first attacked the task of turning the circles into triangles, my instinct was simply to pinch in the corners.

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The problem, as you can see, was that they all opened up during baking. Moral (and this should apply in all areas of life): Do not pinch!

So… how do you shape hamantaschen?

The trick to keeping hamantaschen closed is to fold! Fold down one third of the circle covering a portion of the filling. Then, fold the next third down, overlapping the first third. Finally, fold down the last third to create your triangle. Gently push the overlapping areas to seal in the goodness.

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Once you’ve folded your hamantaschen, place them on a cookie tray and freeze for 15 minutes. Freezing the dough helps it to keep its shape in the oven.

If you prefer a shiny look to your hamantaschen, brush with egg just before baking.

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Bake the dough and you’ll get beautiful hamantaschen for Purim!

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Hamantaschen Filling Ideas

Traditionally, hamantaschen are filled with jam or poppy seed filling. Prune hamantashen filling is also very common. It’s madebyblending half a pound of prunes in a food processor with the juice and zest of one lemon and a half cup of honey.

However, like thumbprint cookies, the sky is the limit when it comes to fillings.

Tip: Choose a thick filling as thin and runny fillings can leak out and cause the cookie to open up during baking.

Some unique hamantashen fillings include:

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Hamantaschen Recipe - Tips to Make the Perfect Purim Cookie (10)

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Hamantashen Recipe – Tips to Make the Perfect Purim Cookies

An easy recipe for perfect Hamataschen cookies for Purim!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Jewish

Prep Time 15 minutesminutes

Cook Time 15 minutesminutes

Total Time 30 minutesminutes

Servings 36cookies

Calories 88kcal

Author Stefani

Ingredients

  • 3cupsflour
  • 3teaspoonsbaking powder
  • 1/2cupgranulated sugar
  • 1/4teaspoonsalt
  • 3/4cupunsalted butterroom temperature
  • 3large eggs
  • your choice of fillingjam, jelly, preserves, chocolate chips, nuts, prune filling, etc.

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.

  • Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

  • Mix in butter and eggs.

  • Lightly flour work surface and roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. (If you prefer a cakier hamantashen, roll to 1/4".)

  • Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut hamantaschen dough into circles. You can make them any size that you like. I like to use a 3 1/2" cookie cutter.

  • Add about 1 teaspoon of filling to the center of each piece of dough for a 3 1/2" cookie. Use more or less if you make a different size.

  • Use your finger or a pastry brush to moisten the edge of each circle with a tiny bit of water. This will help the cookies stay closed during baking.

  • Fold down one third of the circle, covering a portion of the filling. Then, fold the next third down, overlapping the first third. Finally, fold down the last third to create your triangle. Press the overlapping areas gently to seal in the goodness.

  • Transfer to a try lined with parchment paper. Put the tray in the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will help the cookies to hold their shape.

  • Remove from the freezer and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies just start to brown.

Notes

  • If you like a shinier look to your cookies, brush the top of the triangle with egg before baking.
  • Always fold to shape the cookies, never pinch.
  • Have fun experimenting with different fillings. You can use many different fillings in the same batch of cookies. Thicker fillings work better than thin runny fillings. If you want to use a thin filling, use just a little of it to keep it from overflowing out of the cookie.
  • Store the cookies in a sealed container for up to one week or package them to give to friends in Purim baskets (mishloach manot).

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 51mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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Hamantaschen Recipe - Tips to Make the Perfect Purim Cookie (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep hamantaschen from spreading? ›

So… how do you shape hamantaschen? The trick to keeping hamantaschen closed is to fold! Fold down one third of the circle covering a portion of the filling. Then, fold the next third down, overlapping the first third.

What are the cookies you eat on Purim? ›

Also on Purim, Jews eat a fruit-filled butter cookie called Hamantaschen, which is triangular-shaped to signify Haman's hat. (Some Jewish communities say the cookies are shaped like Haman's pockets or his ears, but we've always associated them with his hat.)

How do you fold Hamantaschen cookies? ›

First, grasp the left side of the circle and fold it towards the center to make a flap that covers the left third of the circle. Grasp the right side of the circle and fold it towards the center, overlapping the upper part of the left side flap to create a triangular tip at the top of the circle.

Why are Purim cookies triangular? ›

Asked what the dessert signifies, many celebrants would quickly answer that they're in the shape of the triangular hat supposedly worn by Haman, the villain of the Purim story in the Book of Esther.

How do you fix crumbly hamantaschen dough? ›

If the crumbles are too dry to form a smooth dough, add water slowly, 1 teaspoon at a time, using your hands to knead the liquid into the dough. Knead and add liquid until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky to the touch (not sticky), with a consistency that is right for rolling out.

How do you thicken jam for hamantaschen? ›

Thicken the filling: I like to use already made jams as fillings. Most jams are too thin for hamantachen, hence the bubbling over in the oven problem. Before I make the dough, I put the jam in a small pot and simmer it on low heat until it's reduced.

What do hamantaschen symbolize? ›

The pastries are supposed to symbolize the defeated enemy of the Jewish people. The word tash means "pouch" or "pocket" in Yiddish, and thus may refer to Haman's pockets, symbolizing the money that Haman offered to Ahasuerus in exchange for permission to destroy the Jews.

Why do you eat hamantaschen on Purim? ›

These cookies were called “mohntaschen” which translates to “poppy seed pockets.” In the early 19th century, Germany Jews started making them specifically for Purim and called them “hamantaschen” because the name of the Purim villain, Haman, sounds like “mohn.” Playing off the pun, it was said that the cookies stuffed ...

What do Jews drink on Purim? ›

Throughout our history, wine has played a vital role in Jewish life. The holiday of Purim provides us with a great test of how we will use this powerful substance. Throughout our history, wine has played a vital role in Jewish life. It has brought comfort, joy and closeness to what we hold sacred.

What is the shape of a hamantaschen? ›

The triangular shape of hamantaschen is significant because it is said to represent the triangular hat worn by the villainous character, Haman, in the Purim story. According to Jewish tradition, Haman was a high-ranking official in the court of the Persian king who plotted to destroy the Jewish people.

Can you freeze hamantaschen? ›

It will give them a nice toasty flavor. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them right on the pan. Store Hamantaschen well-wrapped at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

What are hamantaschen cookies for? ›

Hamantaschen are the triangular pastries associated with the holiday of Purim, when Jews read from the Book of Esther, the Megillah, and celebrate the triumph of good (Esther) over evil (Haman, who planned to destroy the Jewish people).

Why do hamantaschen have three corners? ›

Hamantaschen are traditional cookies eaten during the Jewish holiday, Purim. They consist of pockets of dough filled with poppy seeds or a variety of other fillings. The three corners of the hamantashen are thought to represent the three-cornered hat worn by Haman, the villain of the Purim story.

What is Purim pastry called? ›

During Purim, people dress up in colorful costumes, eat triangle-shaped pastries called Hamentashen (also spelled hamantaschen, and variations between the two) — there's some thought the shape is meant to resemble Haman's hat — and make noise with groggers (noisemakers) every time Haman's name is mentioned during the ...

Why do Jews eat black and white cookies? ›

The black-and-white cookie was among the original recipes used by Glaser's Bake Shop. By the post-war period, black-and-white cookies had become part of American Ashkenazi Jewish culinary repertoire, deeply rooted in the Jewish communities of New York City and elsewhere around the United States.

How do you keep thumbprint cookies from spreading? ›

Storing your dough in the fridge helps to harden the fat and prevent your cookies from spreading. Allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Why did my Christmas cookies spread? ›

Baking cookies in a too-cool oven will cause the fat to melt before your cookies set up, leading to spreading,” Dawn says. Grab an oven thermometer the next time you're in the grocery store so you can be sure your oven is at the correct temperature.

How do you keep Christmas cookies from spreading? ›

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

How do you keep shortbread in shape? ›

What is the best way to handle shortbread cookies so they don't spread out and lose their shape? - Quora. Make sure your butter is on the colder side. Chill them overnight; not the dough in a lump but go ahead and roll them out, and cut them into the shapes you want. leave them on the pan in the fridge.

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