Description
Classic hamantaschen blend traditional Jewish pastry with sweet poppy seed filling, creating a delightful triangular cookie from Ina Garten’s kitchen. Holiday bakers can enjoy this simple yet elegant dessert that connects family memories with delicious cultural heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups butter or margarine, softened
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tbsps (90 mL) orange juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 (12 oz / 340 g) can poppyseed filling
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then integrate eggs individually. Add orange juice and vanilla extract, blending until smooth. Sift baking powder into mixture and fold in flour to create a cohesive dough. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to develop flavor and texture.
- Prepare Workspace: Preheat oven to 375°F. Flour work surface generously and roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut uniform 3-inch circles using a cookie cutter or drinking glass.
- Shape Hamantaschen: Position dough circles on greased baking sheets with slight spacing. Place a teaspoon of poppyseed filling in the center of each circle. Fold three edges towards the center, creating triangular shapes. Pinch corners to seal while leaving filling partially visible. Optional: Chill shaped cookies for 15 minutes to maintain structure.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges turn golden brown. Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Ensure even cooling and crisp texture.
Notes
- Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours to develop rich flavors and create a more manageable texture for shaping.
- Master the Fold: Pinch corners gently but firmly when creating the triangular shape to prevent filling leakage and maintain the classic hamantaschen structure.
- Temperature Matters: Ensure butter is softened but not melted for optimal dough consistency and smooth mixing.
- Prevent Spreading: Briefly chill shaped cookies before baking to help maintain their distinctive triangular form and prevent unwanted spreading in the oven.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Jewish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg