Hamentaschen Recipes

Steps:

• Make the dough: Beat the butter, both sugars, the egg, milk, vanilla and maple extract (if using) with a mixer on medium-high speed. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until fully incorporated.
• Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Form the hamantaschen: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375˚ F. Roll out one piece of dough on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Use the rim of a juice glass to cut out 3-inch circles. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Spoon a teaspoon of the apricot preserves into the center of each circle of dough.
• Fold in the edges of the dough to form a triangle, pinching at the corners to keep the filling in but leaving the center filling slightly exposed.
• Bake the hamantaschen: Arrange the hamantaschen on 2 baking sheets (use nonstick pans or line the pans with parchment paper).
• Bake, rotating and switching the pans halfway through, until the hamantaschen are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lightly and fluffy. Stir in the oil, vanilla and orange juice. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter to form a stiff dough. If dough is not stiff enough to roll out, stir in more flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or the rim or a drinking glass. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of preserves into the center of each one. Pinch the edges to form three corners.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and 2 eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add to butter mixture until just combined. Divide dough into thirds. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove one-third of the dough from the refrigerator at a time. On a liberally floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. With a 3-inch fluted round cutter, cut out as many circles as possible, and place on a prepared baking pan. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the poppy-seed filling: Grind poppy seeds in a food processor. Place seeds in a medium saucepan. Add milk and honey. Cook over a medium-low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add raisins and lemon zest. Remove from heat. Cool completely before using.
• Remove chilled circles from refrigerator. Place each filling into a medium pastry bag fitted with a coupler. Pipe 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each circle. Whisk together remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush edges with egg wash. Fold in sides to form a triangle. Pinch dough to enclose the filling.
• Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes; then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the orange juice and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder, then gradually stir in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. I like to do mine overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles using a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place circles on the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of each circle. (Any more and it will ooze out) Pinch the sides of each circle to form a triangle, covering as much of the filling as possible. The cookies may be frozen on the cookie sheets if desired to help retain their shape while cooking.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light golden brown. These are best undercooked slightly. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Cut in margarine with 2 knives or a pastry blender. Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix well until dough comes together and is smooth. If dough is sticky, add more flour.
• Roll out dough on floured work surface until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Press the rim of a glass into flour and then into the dough to cut out circles.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon filling into the center of each circle. Fold up the 3 sides into a triangle shape, pinching the sides together tightly to seal. Transfer cookies to baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Beat eggs with an electric mixer in a second bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• Mix sugar, vegetable oil, orange and lemon zests and juices, and vanilla extract in a third bowl. Add to beaten eggs; mix well. Add the flour mixture and beat until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
• Place dough onto a floured work surface and knead until it no longer sticks to your fingers. Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Whisk egg, cream, and water together to make glaze.
• Divide chilled dough into 4 sections. Roll out dough on floured work surface with a floured rolling pin until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or jar lid to cut out circles about 4 inches in diameter.
• Place 1 teaspoon of apricot jam in the center of a dough circle. Pinch 2 sides together to create 2 sides of a triangle. Use some of the egg glaze as 'glue' if needed. Fold the bottom of the circle up to form the third side of the 'hat,' leaving a little of the filling visible in the center. Repeat with remaining dough circles and filling.
• Place cookies on the prepared cookie sheets. Brush tops with egg glaze mixture using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, about 18 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack with a spatula.