Hamantaschen
Hamantaschen are the traditional triangular Jewish cookies for Purim, made by folding a round of dough around a spoonful of jam in the center. The cookie is crisp yet tender and fragrant with orange, while the jam peeks out glistening like a jewel, sweet with a gentle tang that is hard to resist.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Rising or chilling
- 1 hr
- Total time
- 1 hr 54 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Jam filling
Instructions
Step 1
Beat 115 g softened unsalted butter with 100 g granulated sugar for about two minutes, then add 50 g eggs, 5 g vanilla extract, 3 g orange zest and 15 g whole milk. The orange zest perfumes the cookie and balances the sweetness of the jam. The mixture is ready when it is smooth, lightly fluffy and the egg no longer looks separated.
Step 2
Sift 260 g all-purpose flour, 4 g baking powder and a pinch salt into the bowl, mix on low speed, then gather the dough together with your hands. The dough needs to be pliable enough to fold the edges without cracking. It is ready when it is as soft as modeling clay, doesn't stick to your hands and is an even creamy yellow.
Step 3
Divide the dough in half, flatten each piece, wrap tightly and refrigerate for about an hour. Cold dough is easier to roll thin, and the corners of the triangles won't pop open in the oven. It is ready when it is moderately firm and a fingertip press leaves a dent that fills in slowly.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This temperature sets the cookies quickly so the folds stay sharp and neat. The oven is ready when it has been on for about fifteen minutes and the heating light has switched off.
Step 5
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured counter to about 4 mm thick and cut out rounds with a 7 cm cutter, gathering the scraps to reroll once. An even thickness lets the corners bake crisp at the same time as the bottoms. The rounds are ready when they are flat with clean edges and lift without tearing.
Step 6
Place a small spoonful of 220 g fruit jam in the center of each round, then fold up three sides to form a triangle and pinch the three corners firmly, leaving a small opening in the middle. Pinching the corners well is the secret to keeping the cookies from opening up as they rise. Each one is ready when it has three clearly pointed corners and the jam sits neatly inside.
Step 7
Set the cookies 3 cm apart and bake at 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes. Baking just long enough keeps the cookies slightly tender rather than dry and hard. They are done when the corners turn light golden brown and the jam in the middle is bubbling gently.
Step 8
Leave the cookies on the sheet for five minutes, then move them to a rack. Hot jam is very runny and needs time to thicken. They are ready when the jam has set on top, doesn't feel sticky to a light touch and the cookies are completely cool.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Plastic wrap
- Kitchen scale
Tips
- Choose a thick jam such as apricot or a firm strawberry jam; runny jam will boil over and push the corners open.
- Brush a little water on the edges of the dough before folding to help the corners stick together better.
- For a change, swap the jam for poppy seed filling or chocolate hazelnut spread.
Storage
The cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about five days. To keep them longer, freeze the baked cookies for up to a month and let them thaw at room temperature before eating.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The corners open up and the cookies turn into circles in the oven.
- The corners weren't pinched tightly enough or the dough was too warm. Pinch more firmly and chill the tray of folded cookies in the fridge for fifteen minutes before baking.
- The jam bubbles out and burns.
- Too much jam went into each cookie. Use only about one heaping teaspoon per round of dough.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
