Easy Strawberry Hamantaschen Recipe
Baking strawberry Hamantaschen cookies at home is so much easier than you think. You might have seen these jelly-filled triangular cookies at your local store but they are so much better when you bake them from scratch.
What are Hamantaschen?
What are Hamantaschen?During the Jewish holiday of Purim, it’s customary to eat these cookies symbolizing Haman’s ear, or Hamantaschen, due to the fact that he was plotting to kill all the Jews in Persia.
This festival celebrates the heroic actions of queen Esther to save the Jewish people from Haman’s evil plot. Children dress up in costumes, and the Book of Esther (called Meguilat Esther) is read to remind us of the story. Each time Haman’s name is mentioned, your are supposed to boo him or make noise with groggers.
All Jewish holidays have traditional foods, and Purim is no exception. These cookies are delicious, and even if you can buy them, they are so much better when you make them from scratch.
What can you fill Hamantaschen with?
The pastry is usually filled with jelly or chocolate, and I found this great strawberry Hamantaschen recipe that is super easy to make. Of course you can substitute the strawberry jam for your favorite filling, like Nutella.
Strawberry Hamantaschen recipe
Makes about 30 cookies
Baking time: 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 ¼ cup flour (plus additional for flouring the surface)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
- 3 egg yolks, divided
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup strawberry jam
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine sugar, flour, and salt.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add two egg yolks and pulse to combine.
- Slowly add the water, only adding enough to make the mixture stick together as a dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead two or three times, until the dough becomes smooth. Divide the dough in half and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (To bake the entire batch together, you will need two baking sheets.)
- Roll the dough to ⅛ inch thickness and cut into a circle using a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or drinking glass. Place the circles on the baking sheet. Continue reworking the dough until all circles are cut.
- In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg yolk with a teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush each circle with the egg wash.
- Drop a teaspoon of jam in the center of each dough circle. Fold the circle into a triangle (folding the circle on three sides) and lightly press the corners into a point.
- Refrigerate the cookies for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
If you want to mix things up, try filling a few Hamantaschen with strawberry jam, others with apricot, and some with Nutella or a chocolate spread. Everybody will surely enjoy this Purim treat!
Strawberry Hamantaschen recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 ¼ cup flour (plus additional for flouring the surface)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
- 3 egg yolks, divided
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup strawberry jam
Instructions
1.In a food processor, combine sugar, flour, and salt.
2.Cut the butter into pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add two egg yolks and pulse to combine.
3.Slowly add the water, only adding enough to make the mixture stick together as a dough.
4.Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead two or three times, until the dough becomes smooth. Divide the dough in half and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5.When ready to bake, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (To bake the entire batch together, you will need two baking sheets.)
6.Roll the dough to ⅛ inch thickness and cut into a circle using a biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or drinking glass. Place the circles on the baking sheet. Continue reworking the dough until all circles are cut.
7.In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg yolk with a teaspoon of water to create an egg wash. Lightly brush each circle with the egg wash.
8.Drop a teaspoon of jam in the center of each dough circle. Fold the circle into a triangle (folding the circle on three sides) and lightly press the corners into a point.
9.Refrigerate the cookies for 20 to 30 minutes.
10.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
11.Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
More Jewish holiday recipes
- Delicious and easy olive oil challah recipe
- How to make the most delicious potato latkes
- How to make Star of David cupcakes
- How to make sweet noodle kugel
- How to make my family’s favorite fluffy challah
- The best honey cake recipe
