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.
Ingredients
½ cup butter (or margarine)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk (or almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
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 ½ cupfuls until firm.
Chill dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Dust surface with powdered sugar 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 powdered sugar before each cut!
Fill each round with your favorite filling, and using your favorite method, pinch corners together tightly.
Bake at 400° for about 7-9 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook, General Mills, 1950
