Hamantaschen are classic triangular cookies filled with sweet centers and traditionally enjoyed during the Jewish holiday of Purim. Purim falls on the 14th day of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. It’s celebrated by Jews all over the world, but it’s one of the most widely celebrated festivals in Israel. As far as holiday cookies go, Hamantaschen are the most popular cookies sold in Israel in the weeks leading up to the celebration of Purim.
With their tender cream cheese dough and rich prune-walnut filling, these cookies are buttery, lightly sweet, and absolutely irresistible.
This version features a soft, easy-to-work-with dough and a flavorful homemade filling accented with orange zest. They’re perfect for holiday cookie platters, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea. They remind me a lot of rugelach.
The history of Hamantaschen:
Prune Hamantaschen was invented by David Brandeis in 1731. A family in his city bought Hamantaschen from him, and the patriarch in the family coincidentally died a few days later. The family blamed it on Brandeis, and he was imprisoned for selling poisonous food. The charges were eventually dropped, and he was released 4 days before Purim. The Jews from his city celebrated by eating Hamantaschen!
Ingredients Needed:
For the Dough
- Flour: Structure
- Baking powder: Light lift
- Salt: Balances sweetness
- Butter and cream cheese: Rich, tender dough
- Sugar: Sweetens
- Egg: Binds ingredients
- Vanilla: Flavor
For the Filling
- Prunes: Classic sweet filling base
- Walnuts: Texture and nutty flavor
- Sugar: Extra sweetness
- Orange zest: Bright citrus note
Egg Wash
- Helps seal edges and adds light golden color
How to Make Hamantaschen
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
MAKE THE DOUGH:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, one cup at a time, mixing at low speed until incorporated. Wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour.
MAKE THE FILLING:
Process prunes in a food processor. Add walnuts, sugar, and orange zest; pulse to combine.
ASSEMBLE:
- Roll dough on a floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut 3-inch circles and place 2½ inches apart on baking sheets. Add a heaping teaspoon of filling to the center of each circle. Brush edges with egg wash. Fold three sides up to form a triangle and pinch corners to seal, leaving the center open.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 13 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden at edges. Cool briefly on pan, then transfer to wire rack.
Recipe Tips
- Experiment with adding different fillings to your Hamantaschen. Try using apricot or raspberry jam, Nutella or date paste.
- Chill the dough again if it becomes too soft while working.
- Don’t overfill—about a heaping teaspoon is perfect.
- Cookies keep their shape best when edges are well sealed.
Storage
Hamantaschen are most delicious when eaten the day they’re made. But they can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for a few days. If you’d like to freeze them, keep them stored in the freezer in a sealed container or a large freezer zip baggie. Defrost as you’d like to eat them. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a great make-ahead cookie.
- It’s a traditional, classic cookie with homemade filling
- There is a rich-flavored, cream cheese dough, which has a tender, soft texture.
- It’s perfect for Purim celebrations. Consider making my best brisket recipe and some homemade sweet challah bread too!
Purim Facts:
- The proper greeting for celebrating Purim is, “Happy Purim!”
- Triangular-shaped pastries are eaten during Purim to symbolize the defeated enemy of the Jewish people.
- Kreplach are triangle-shaped ravioli (often served in soup). They’re also a popular Purim food.
- Purim is celebrated with big carnivals and festivals.
- The Purim celebration includes giving away food, donating to the poor, feasting and drinking.
- Jews read the story of Esther twice during Purim- once at sundown and again the next morning.
Hamantaschen
Equipment
Ingredients
DOUGH:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING:
- 2 cups (12 ounces) pitted prunes
- ½ cup chopped and toasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
EGG WASH:
- 1 large egg yolk (beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
MAKE THE DOUGH:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, one cup at a time, mixing at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
MAKE THE FILLING:
- Add the prunes to a food processor and process. Add the nuts, sugar, and orange zest and pulse to combine.
ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES:
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness. With a 3-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out circles and arrange 2 ½-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. With a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the egg mixture around the edge of each circle. Gently fold three sides of each dough circle over the filling to form a triangle and pinch the corners together, leaving the center of the triangle open to show the filling.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly browned around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chill the dough if it becomes too soft while working.
- Don’t overfill—about a heaping teaspoon of filling per cookie works best.
- Pinch edges well so cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
