This recipe for Jewish hamantaschen cookies shaped like a tri-cornered hat is representative of Haman’s hat. Haman is the antagonist in the story of Queen Esther who saved her people, the Jews, from being killed by the edict of the evil Haman. The story is detailed in the bible, in the book of Esther. The word “Purim” refers to Haman having cast the pur (the lot) against the Jews to no avail. The cookies are traditionally eaten for the annual holiday of Purim, which usually falls in February or March. The holiday celebrates Jewish survival.
Why Are Hamantaschen Eaten for Purim?
Despite the name, it's unclear if Haman ever wore a three-cornered hat, the reputed inspiration for these cookies that date to Germany in the late 1500s.
The name comes from the German mohn (poppy seed) and taschen (pockets) and the pastries were known as mohntaschen which means "poppy seed pockets" or "Haman's pockets" (hamantaschen). The "pockets" allude to Haman's pockets supposedly being filled with bribe money, represented by "coins" of poppy seeds.
What Fillings to Use for Hamantaschen
These flaky pastries start with a pareve margarine dough (although butter can be used for a dairy meal) and are traditionally filled with apricot, prune, or poppy seed fillings. However, these days, chocolate and other fruit fillings are popular, too. It’s easy to find these fillings in the baking aisles—they’re typically a canned product—although some grocery stores will sell it packaged in plastic containers, too.
You can assemble these cookies using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
What You'll Need to Make This Hamantaschen Cookies Recipe A Zippy Stand Mixer A Roll of Parchment Paper A Nifty Cooling Rack
“These buttery, crisp, tricorner cookies with their shortbread-like texture and their sweet filling are simply delicious. You can easily find the poppyseed filling online.” —Melissa Gray
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 cup (231 grams) granulated sugar
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1 1/3 cups (300 grams) margarine, room temperature
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2 large eggs, room temperature
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1 tablespoon water, more as needed
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1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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4 cups (482 grams) all-purpose flour, more as needed
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1/2 cup poppyseed filling, prune (lekvar), apricot preserves, or Nutella, (your choice)
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and margarine on high speed with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
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Add eggs and continue to mix on medium-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.
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Add the water and vanilla, and continue to mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
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Stir in flour, continuing to mix until the dough forms a smooth ball.
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Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Pinch off golf ball-sized pieces of dough (about 45 grams each) and roll into balls. Lightly sprinkle with flour.
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Position a ball between 2 pieces of waxed paper and press into a 3-inch circle (about 1/4-inch thick). Gently peel one piece of waxed paper from the dough circle and place on the prepared baking sheet. Gently peel the remaining piece of waxed paper from the dough circle. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies about 1-inch apart.
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Place about 1 teaspoon of filling of choice in the center of each dough circle.
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With floured fingers, pinch the dough together to form 3 corners, ensuring that the corners are well-sealed. Gently pat the folds down a bit to prevent corners from separating during baking.
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Bake 1 tray at a time until just starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
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Using a thin spatula, carefully remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store cookies in a tightly covered container.
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Recipe Variations
- Chocolate Hamantaschen Recipe: This is a dairy dish in the kosher tradition because the cocoa powder pastry dough is made with butter. It can be filled with prune, poppy seed, or apricot, but they taste so much better with raspberry, Nutella, white chocolate chunks, or chocolate peanut butter.
- Fill the hamantaschen with marzipan instead of a fruit or poppyseed filling. You can find marzipan at most grocery stores or make your own.
How to Store and Freeze Hamantaschen
These cookies will keep in a covered container for three to five days. For longer storage, wrap them in waxed paper and transfer to a covered container or zip-close freezer bag and freeze them for up to three months.