Hamantaschen cookies
These gluten-free fruit-filled cookies are a beloved treat traditionally made for Purim, a joyful holiday in Jewish culture. Named after Haman—the villain in the story of Queen Esther—Hamantaschen are shaped to resemble his three-cornered hat, with pastry folded over a sweet filling. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy these delicious cookies—they’re a delightful bite of history and flavor for everyone. Chilling the shaped cookies for 15 minutes before baking helps them hold their signature shape, and they’re just as tasty with or without a simple powdered sugar glaze. This version features a rich, fruity filling adapted from Chef Alina’s pop tart recipe for an extra special touch.
Margaret Batterton's Hamantaschen cookies
Serves: 4 dozen | Prep Time 120 min | Cook Time:
Ingredients
Cookie
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (70g) vegetable shortening
- 3⁄4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
- 3⁄4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp (28g) lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 1⁄2 cups (420g) Better Batter Original Flour Blend
- 3 Tbsp (21g) cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg white (reserve the yolk)
Filling
- 1 1⁄2 cups pure fruit, preserves or jam (not jelly)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp cold water
Instructions
Beat together the butter, shortening, sugar, salt, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon juice until light and fluffy.
Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and mix.
Add heavy whipping cream and egg with egg white and mix until a cohesive dough forms.
Divide the dough in half. Wrap it well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. It can be refrigerated overnight.
Make Filling. While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small saucepan, mix the cornstarch with the cold water. Add the jam.
Simmer. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Continue stirring while it simmers.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. (Chilling the filling allows it to set and makes it easier to work with.)
Shaping
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prepare several parchment lined or greased cookie sheets.
Roll. Working with one half of the dough at a time, roll the dough onto a floured surface.
Make a rectangle 16” x 18”, approximately 1/8” to 1/4” thick.
Cut the dough into circles with a 3” round biscuit or cookie cutter. (Smaller makes it more challenging to get the correct shape. Slightly larger is fine.)
Place the circles on the prepared baking sheets.
Add only 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle.
Mix the reserved egg yolk with 1 Tbsp water and brush around the edges of each circle. This allows the dough to stick together. Bring 3 of the “sides” of each circle together to make a 3-cornered “hat”.
Pinch the edges together to seal.
Freeze the shaped cookies for 15 minutes.
Baking
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and edges.
Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
Add a simple powdered sugar glaze if desired. Cookies may be frozen.
