Purim Cookies Recipe – Hamentaschen also called Oznei Haman

These Purim cookies are a special treat during the Jewish Purim festival with hundreds of choices for fillings from traditional poppy seed and dates to modern chocolate, dulce de leche and more. This simple, easy and effortless recipe uses shortcrust cookie dough as a base with easy to follow folding instructions to get the perfect Hamentaschen cookies.

Purim Cookies, Hamentaschen Cookies – Oznei Haman cookies – Jewish Purim Cookie

Have you seen these cookies yet?

Probably! They are served almost everywhere as regular normal cookies. But do you know that they are special holiday cookies? If you are Jewish or are associated with the Jewish food then the title names Hamentaschen Cookies or Oznei Haman or Purim cookies are not new to you. I myself started making them only when I came here to Israel and now every year I make these lovely Purim cookies for my kids.

Purim cookies or Hamentaschen Cookies Recipe – Oznei Haman

My son loves them – he’s favorite are the ones filled with Nutella or chocolate.

When I had these the first time; years ago in the US – They were just made with shortcrust pastry filled with poppy seed filling. I did not know there was a different recipe for it until I came to Israel.

Oznei Haman or Hamentaschen Cookies Recipe, or Purim Cookies

So,  after trying several recipes, eventually formulated this which works best for me. Not sure how authentic this is but my kids love it, my friends love it, now I hope you like it too.

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes – (Save/Pin Purim Cookies for later)

• Butter – I always use unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt. But if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe. 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 sugar works best.
• Eggs – I use large eggs about 65 to 70 grams each.
• Extract – Orange is quite traditional with these cookies but if you don’t have some go ahead and omit the orange. Vanilla always works a treat.
• Fillings – I usually choose between one or two of the filling to make my workload. Chocolate is my kids favorite filling.

Recipe – Hamentaschen Cookies – Oznei Haman or Purim Cookies (Save/Pin for later)

Tools

• hand mixer,
• Kitchen-Aid or
• K-Mix.
• Bowl,
• Spatula,
• Wooden Spoon,
• Cling Wrap,
• Baking trays,
• Rolling Pin,
• Circle cookie cutter.

Here’s some we made today for tea.

Purim Cookies Recipe, Hamentaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman cookies, Jewish Purim Cookies

Ingredients

For the shortbread cookie dough

• Unsalted butter – 170 grams ( 1 1/2 stick)
• White sugar – 225 grams (1 cup)
• All-purpose flour – 440 grams
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Eggs – 1 large + 1 egg yolk
• Vanilla (or orange extract) – 2 tsp
• Orange juice – 4 tbsp

Filling – poppy seed filling or prune filling, Nutella, chocolate, halva, dulce de leche, strawberry jam (any other jam)

Poppy Seed Filling

• Poppy seeds – 1/2 cup
• Milk – 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Butter –  15 grams (1 tbsp)
• Sugar – 30 grams (2 tbsp)
• Raisins – or dried apples – 100 grams (2/3 cup)  (optional)

Prune Filling

• Prunes – 1 cup (pitted)
• Sugar – 100 grams (1/2 cup)
• Raisins – 100 grams (2/3 cup)
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Lemon zest – 1 tbsp

Chocolate Filling

• Chocolate – 200 grams (7 oz)
• Whipping cream – 2 tbsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp

Method

Making the Dough

• Sift and combine together flour, baking powder, salt.
• Cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla or orange extract.
• Next, add egg and egg yolk one at a time.
• Add flour and orange juice.
• This is a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into two.
• Form each into a flat disc.
• Wrap in cling/plastic wrap.

Chill Dough /Roll Cookies

• Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
• Roll the dough using as little flour as possible.
• Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter cut as many discs as you can.
• Place the circles on a baking tray.
• If the dough has softened place in the fridge to chill again.

Add Filling and Fold

• Place a small teaspoon of filling in the center of the disc.
• Do not add too much filling. The cookie dough is delicious on its own too.
• Too much filling will cause an overflow and open up.
• Dampen the disc edges very lightly with water or egg white ( very lightly – just to secure them).
• Overlap or pinch the three sides of the disc/circle using one of the methods below.

Chill cookies and Bake

• Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
• Chill the cookies for at least 20 minutes while the oven is preheating. (Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape better).
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack completely before you store in a cookie jar.

Storage

• These cookies will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks but they taste best in the first week of baking.
• The cookie dough can be chilled for a week in the fridge or frozen for up to three months in the freeze.
• Fruit fillings will last for a week in the fridge.

Video on YouTube – Purim Cookies Recipe – Hamentaschen or Oznei Haman

Please do subscribe and like the video – Check out the notification bell for new videos every week on YouTube.

Progress Pictures – Hamentaschen Cookies

These are some progress pictures I took a few years back before I made the video. The post was so popular I had to update it with a video.

Progress Picture 1 – Making the Purim Cookie Dough

Purim Cookies, Hamantaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman Cookies – Jewish Purim Cookies

Progress Picture 2 -Here’s How you roll and cut and fill the cookies. I am using a fluted cutter here but plain works just as well.

Purim Cookies, Hamentaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman Cookies – Jewish Purim Cookies

Method One  – Pinch method for Purim Cookies

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

Purim Cookies Recipe, Hamentaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman Cookies Jewish Purim Cookies

Method Two –  the Flat look/ overlap method for Purim Cookies

• Basically all you do it overlap the three corners.
• Here I made three different fillings – jam, chocolate pecan, and chocolate chips.

Purim Cookies Recipe, Hamentaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman cookies – Jewish Cookies Recipe

Purim Cookies, Hamentaschen Cookies, Oznei Haman Cookies, Jewish Purim Cookies

Hamentaschen Cookies Purim Cookies Oznei Haman Cookies

These Purim cookies are a special treat during the Jewish Purim festival with hundreds of choices for fillings from traditional poppy seed and dates to modern chocolate, dulce de leche and more. This simple, easy and effortless recipe uses shortcrust cookie dough as a base with easy to follow folding instructions to get the perfect Hamentaschen cookies.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, brunch, High Tea

Cuisine: Israeli

Adjust Servings Here: 24 cookies

Calories: 164kcal

Author: Veena Azmanov

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

For the shortbread cookie dough

• 170 grams Unsalted butter
• 225 grams White sugar
• 440 grams All purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 Egg large
• 1 Egg yolk
• 2 tsp Vanilla or orange extract
• 4 tbsp Orange juice

Filling - Poppy seed filling, or Prune Filling, Nutella, Chocolate, Halva, Dulce De Leche, Strawberry Jam (any Jam)

Poppy Seed Filling

• 70 grams Poppy seeds
• 120 ml Milk
• 15 grams Butter
• 30 grams Sugar
• 100 grams Raisins or dried apples  (optional)

Prune Filling

• 1 cup Prunes pitted
• 100 grams Sugar
• 100 grams Raisins
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Lemon zest

Chocolate Filling

• 200 grams Chocolate
• 2 tbsp Whipping cream
• 1 tbsp Butter

Metric - US customary

Instructions

Making the Dough

• Sift and combine together flour, baking powder, salt. 
• Cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla or orange extract.
• Next, add egg and egg yolk one at a time.
• Add flour and orange juice.
• This is a soft dough. 
• Divide the dough into two.
• Form each into a flat disc.
• Wrap in cling/plastic wrap.

Chill Dough /Roll Cookies

• Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
• Roll the dough using as little flour as possible.
• Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter cut as many discs as you can.
• Place the circles on a baking tray.
• If the dough has softened place in the fridge to chill again. 

Add Filling and Fold

• Place a small teaspoon of filling in the center of the disc.
• Do not add too much filling. The cookie dough is delicious on its own too.
• Too much filling will cause an overflow and open up.
• Dampen the disc edges very lightly with water or egg white ( very lightly - just to secure them).
• Overlap or pinch the three sides of the disc/circle using one of the methods below.

Chill cookies and Bake

• Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
• Chill the cookies for at least 20 minutes while the oven is preheating. (Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape better).
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 to 14 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack completely before you store in a cookie jar.

Chef's Tips

Storage 

• These cookies will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks but they taste best in the first week of baking.
• The cookie dough can be chilled for a week in the fridge or frozen for up to three months in the freeze.
• Fruit fillings will last for a week in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts

Hamentaschen Cookies Purim Cookies Oznei Haman Cookies

Amount Per Serving (48 g)

Calories 164 Calories from Fat 55

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.1g 9%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 17mg 6%

Sodium 34mg 1%

Potassium 0mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 24.6g 8%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 11.1g

Protein 2.9g 6%

Vitamin A 0%

Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 0%

Iron 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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