Easy, Delicate Hamentashen

This is hamentashen done right, if I do say so myself. Hamentashen are triangular filled cookies traditionally made for the Jewish holiday Purim, which falls on March 4th this year! Light and delicate, these cookies are nothing like the doughy, thick versions you may be used to, and the recipe (which hails from one of my grandmother’s recipe cards, just like the Chocolate Chip Mandelbread I shared with you so long ago) couldn’t be simpler: mix some stuff together, fill, shape, bake, eat, and repeat! Make ’em if you’re celebrating Purim. Make ’em if you’re not celebrating Purim. Just trust me on this one. To start, whisk together some eggs, oil, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Now here comes the super complicated part: stir in some flour. This step may take time to master, but I have faith in you. Ha! I’m kidding. About the difficulty part, not about my faith in you! That’s it for the dough! Now just roll it out nice and thin (about 1/8″). This is the key step in making the hamentashen delicate, rather than heavy and thick. Cut into circles about 3″ in diameter. The size can be adjusted based on your preference; just make sure to keep an eye on them in the oven, as the baking time may change slightly. Fill each cookie with a small amount of jam, Nutella, your own concoction… Anything goes, so long as it’s solid enough that it’ll hold up without oozing too much. To form the cookies, pinch two sides together… Then fold up the last side, pinching the corners. Off to the oven! Bake these at 375 F for around 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Of course, I had to make some mini, bite-sized hamentashen. It was bound to happen. Ta da! So pretty and festive. Here’s a condensed version of the recipe:

Easy, Delicate Hamentashen

from crumbsandnibbles.com

Makes alot of hamentashen (I only baked about half of the dough)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 1/2 cups flour

Fillings (such as jam or Nutella)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, first beat the eggs, then beat in the oil, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

2. Gradually add in the flour, stirring until well mixed.

3. Roll out to 1/8″ thick. Cut into circles (about 3″ for normal sized hamentashen).

4. Put a small amount of filling in the center of each round of dough, then pinch two sides together. Fold up the last side and pinch the corners to form a triangle.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks and enjoy!

Happy Purim, and happy nibbling!