Purim Cookies - Hamantaschen, Oznei Haman

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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 a shortcrust cookie dough as a base. In addition, there are easy to follow folding instructions to get the perfect Hamantaschen cookies.

What are hamantaschen cookies?

These triangular shaped cookies are called Hamantaschen cookies. 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 Jewish food, then the names Hamantaschen Cookies, 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.

The most traditional Hamantaschen cookies are filled with poppy seeds. They are the most traditional. And yet, these days, everyone wants to try something new. My son's favorite is the ones filled with Nutella or chocolate. Ziv loves the Dates and walnuts or pecans, and my Rhea loves the strawberry filling. I love prunes, so often I will make a few just for myself. As you can see I have shared all these variations with you here on the blog.

There is a story too?

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.

About this recipe

When I tried these the first time, years ago in the US, they were just made using a shortcrust pastry with poppy seed filling. I did not know there was a different recipe for it until I came to Israel. So yes, often you will get these made with biscuit dough for a quick version. Those are delicious too.

I've also tried several different recipes from the internet or from friends, each claiming to be authentic. And the ones I like are those you can bite into the soft crust and it crumbles in your mouth, mixed with the delicious filling inside. I started with a recipe my mother-in-law gave me and then tweaked it to my preference. She loved it too.

So,  after trying several recipes, I eventually created this one, which works best for me.  It has a crumbly effect when you bite into it. My kids love it, my friends love it, and now I hope you will also like it.

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 65 to 70 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 always works 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.

What fillings can I use in my Purim cookies?

The choices for filling Purim cookies are plenty - poppy seed filling or prune filling, Nutella, chocolate, halva, dulce de leche, strawberry jam (any other jam). Below, in the recipe card, I have given you these four fillings which are quite common.

• Date Filled Hamentaschen
• Poppy Seed Filled Hamantaschen
• Prune Filled Hamantaschen
• Chocolate Hamantaschen

If you want to try something different then, of course, you may like to try my other hamentaschen cookie recipes like

• Pistachio Halva Hamantaschen
• Apple Pie Hamantaschen
• Pecan Pie Hamantaschen
• Eggless Hamantaschen
• Strawberry Hamantaschen

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Step by step instructions (pin)

Making the dough

• Sift and combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream butter and 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 (preferably one hour) 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 I've shown below.

How do I shape Purim cookies - Two methods

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 for Purim cookies

• 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 -  the flat look/ overlap method for Purim cookies

• 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.

Chill cookies and Bake

• Preheat the oven at 180 C / 356 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.

8 Tips - How to make perfect Purim cookies

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. 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, but if 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 just as well.
7. Make the disc no smaller than 3 inches because once folded they tend to be smaller in size.
8. Bake, until they are starting to get slightly brown on the sides - overbaking them, will make them hard when cooled.

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You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

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