For such a simple cookie, the hamantaschen gives a lot of headaches. The most frequently asked hamantaschen question I get is: Why do my hamantaschen keep exploding? How can I get my hamantaschen to keep their shape?
There are a few small tweaks you can make to ensure perfectly-shaped, non-exploding or leaking hamantaschen every time. Promise.
Pinch It. Pinch It Good.
Don’t get lazy when pinching your hamantaschen corners. Make sure you pinch those corners nice and tight, each and every time — as if the fate of the Jewish people depends on it.
Fill Wisely
If you use a jam or other filling that is too watery or not thick enough, it may contribute to what we experts call…leaky hamantaschen syndrome. Fillings like Nutella, a thick jam, peanut butter (or other nut butter), and cream cheese sweetened with sugar (just to name a few) will keep their shape better than, say, dulce de leche or a runny jelly. One pastry chef in NYC even told me that jams with high fructose corn syrup will actually hold their shape better than those without. Heck, it’s just once a year — go for it.
Chill Out
But the most crucial step for ensuring your cookies keep their shape is to CHILL THEM. That’s right — after you roll, fill, and shape your cookies, pop those suckers back into the fridge for 10 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to ensure a good bake.
Now get baking! Here are some of our favorite recipes to try:
