Purim Cookies - Poppy seeds, Prunes

These Purim cookies are a special treat during the Jewish Purim festival. A shortbread cookie dough with hundreds of choices for fillings, from traditional poppy seed and dates to modern chocolate, halva, apple pie, pecan pie, strawberry, dulce de leche, and more.

If you are Jewish or are associated with Jewish food, then the names Hamantaschen, Oznei Haman or Purim cookies are not new to you. I myself learned of these only when I came to Israel. I started making them because my kids are crazy about them. And now every year I make these lovely Purim cookies for my kids with new flavors to try.

Table of Content

• Why make these cookies?
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Step by step instructions
• How do I shape Purim cookies?
• Method one - pinch method
• Method two - overlap method
• 8 Tips Perfect hamantaschen
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Recipe

One of the most fascinating things I learned about these cookies is the many names it has and the reason for those names.  It's all associated with the Purim story involving a bad guy name Haman, a Jewish lady named Esther, and her victory over his plot to destroy the Jewish People. The cookie is shaped to resemble the three corners of Haman's hat. Purim is the name of the festival and both Hamantaschen and Oznei Haman are derived from his name.

Why make these cookies?

• The cookie dough is like a shortbread cookie filling with this wonderful traditional or modern filling.
• The dough is very simple and easy to make. In fact, you don't need any special equipment. A bowl and spatula would work too.
• The dough needs some chilling time in between while you prepare the filling. But, you can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days ahead or kept frozen for up to a month.
• The filling has a long shelf life too. It stays in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Butter - I always use unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt. And yet, if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe. Also, as I explain about butter in my Tip Thursday - how butter affects baking - use room temperature butter for better results.
• Sugar - I highly recommend you use fine grain sugar to shorten the creaming time. Always cream the butter and sugar well, and fine grain sugar works best.
• Eggs - I use large eggs, about 60 to 65 grams each.
• Extract - Orange is traditional with these cookies. And yet, if you don't have some go ahead and omit the orange. Also, vanilla extract always works like a treat.
• Fillings - I usually choose between one or two of the fillings to get two types of cookies at the same time. Chocolate is my kids' favorite filling.

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Step by step instructions

Dough

• In a bowl, sift and combine together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and creamy.
  Tip - do not cream too long, just until the sugar is melted, as we do not want to add too much air into our dough.
• Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time. Followed by the vanilla extract and orange extract
• Next, add the flour mixture and orange juice. Combine well into a soft dough.
  Tip - you can combine the dry ingredients and orange juice all at once.
• Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or until firm enough to roll.
  Tip - it is important to chill until the dough is firm enough to roll. Otherwise, it will be difficult to shape the cookies.

Roll and fill

• Roll the chilled cookie dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ thickness.
  Tip - You want the cookies thin enough so you can overlap the edges without cracking but thick enough so they won't become too hard.
• Using a 3-inch or 3 ½ inch cookie cutter, cut as many discs as you can and place them on a baking tray.
  Tip - Line the baking tray with parchment paper or silicone mat for easy clean-up.
• Add about a tablespoon of filling in the center.
  Tip -Do not add too much filling because the hot filling will force the cookies to open during baking.
• Dampen the disc edges very lightly with water or egg white
  Tip - you need just a dap of the water or egg whites otherwise it will be difficult to secure these folds
• Method one - Find the middle. Pinch two sides together, Bring the third side up and pinch to meet the other two sides. (progress pictures below)
  Tip - Press the folds gently, but firmly so they do not open during baking.
• Method two  - Overlap the three corners as shown in the video. Fold the first two sides over at one end. Then overlap the third side under the first and under the second. (progress pictures below)
  Tip -At all times each side should be one under and one over the other. Sounds complicated but if you see the video it's pretty simple.

Chill and bake

• Once all cookies are filled - chill them in the fridge while you preheat the oven.
  Tip - chilling helps the cookies hold their shape better.
• Preheat the oven at 375 °F / 190 °C / Gas Mark 5
• Brush the cookies with egg wash. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
• Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before you store them in a cookie jar.
• These will stay for up to a week.

How do I shape Purim cookies?

I have given you two methods here depending on what you like best. This cookie dough works great with both methods. And yet, some soft cookie dough doesn't necessarily work well with the pin method. They tend to open up. However, both of these methods work great with this dough. You probably saw my son folding these cookies on my YouTube video as well as on Instagram every Purim. He loves these Purim cookies. The two methods I shared are:

1. The perky pinch method where you bring the three sides up. I personally like this look.
2. Just overlap the three sides onto each other and bake (I call it the flat look).

Method one - pinch method

• Brush the disc ever so slightly with water or egg whites. (I use water)
• The easiest way to find the middle with these triangles.
• Pinch two sides - bring the third side up to the middle (see 2 & 3 square in the collage below).
• Press the folds gently, do not pinch too much.
• Place all cookies on a baking tray.
• Note how my cookies are sealed, and yet still have that nice fluted edge (don't press too hard).

Method two - overlap method

• Basically, all you do is overlap the three corners.
• Start with the first, then the second overlap the first, and lastly, the third overlaps the first.
• It's easier to understand with the images below.

8 Tips Perfect hamantaschen

1. Chill the dough as required. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
2. Roll the disc fairly thin so the cookies do not look bulky.
3. However, too thick cookies tend to open up when baking.
4. Use the right method for the right technique. The pinch method works with firm cookie dough. And yet,  if you are unsure use the overlap method.
   Alternatively, test a few cookies with the pinch method first before you do the whole batch.
5. Keep the filling thick so it won't bleed out of the cookies.
6. Do not overfill the center to prevent overflow. The cookie dough is shortbread based so it's delicious on its own.
7. Make the disc no smaller than 3 inches because once folded they tend to be smaller in size. Unless, of course, you want mini hamantaschen cookies which are very pretty too.
8. Bake until they are starting to get slightly brown on the sides. Don't brown too much to prevent them from going hard.

Frequently asked questions

You may also like

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Recipe