Confession: I do not love Hamantaschen. Most varieties are dry, crumbly and tasteless. But a few years ago I had a friend’s recipe and so now I have amended my original opinion and I can say: I only like Rachel’s Hamantachen!
Rachel and her mom graciously shared their Hamantaschen recipe with us so that we can all say buh-bye to dry Hamantaschen forever.
Don’t forget our expert tips on hamantaschen that won’t leak – read the ONE HAMANTASCHEN TRICK you need.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (or margarine)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour plus more flour for rolling
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Directions
- Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth.
- Add egg, milk, vanilla and lemon zest until mixed thoroughly.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture until incorporated. Note: if the dough is too soft, increase flour amount by a few Tbsp at a time until firmer.
- Form dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Chill dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Dust surface with flour to keep from sticking. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
- Using a round cookie cutter, cut out and place onto cookie sheet. To keep the dough from sticking to your cutter, dip in flour before each cut.
- Fill each round with 1/2 tsp of your favorite filling, and using your favorite method, pinch corners together tightly.
- Pop into the fridge for 10 minutes, or freezer for 5 minutes, to ensure hamantaschen hold their shape.
- Bake at 400° for about 7-9 minutes.
