Hamantaschen is a traditional and symbolic cookie made to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim. It's a triangular shaped cookie with a sweet filling (usually a preserve or jam). My gluten-free version of this classic Purim cookie taste exactly like you remember. Enjoy and chag sameach! If you want a vegan version of this recipe (no eggs or dairy), see Notes below.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Refrigeration10 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Jewish
Keyword: cookies for Purim, gluten-free hamantaschen, hamantaschen cookies, Jewish holiday cookies, Purim cookie recipe
1-2jarspreserves or jam of choiceabout 15-20 ounces
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour and baking powder. Mix together and set aside.
In the bowl of a large standing mixer, add the eggs, sugar, oil, cream cheese and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
Slowly add the flour to the wet mixture and mix on low until the flour is mostly incorporated. Then set the mixer to medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or until you're ready to assemble the cookies. You can prepare the dough the night ahead of time. Chilling will make the dough easier to work with and allow the gluten-free flour time to soak up the wet ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350º F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface or silpat mat until it's about 1/4" thick.
Using a circle cookie cutter or top of a glass, cut dough into large circles. Place circles on the baking sheet about 1/2" apart (the cookies won't spread).Tip: You can roll the leftover dough to make more cookies. The dough is very forgiving!
Add 1/2 tablespoons of choice preserves to the center of each cookie. Carefully pinch the round dough in three places to create a triangle. (See instructions in the above post.) Make sure you really pinch the dough well so the cookies don't open when baking.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to fully cool before enjoying.
Place the cookies in a zip-top bag in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy them. They will taste even better on days 2-4 because the dough will soak up the moisture from the jelly and soften the cookie.
Notes
Measure Flour Carefully: Do not use too much flour. Measure your flour by grams or spoon and level your flour when measuring by volume. You could also remove 2 tablespoons of flour from the mixture, knowing you'll be adding more flour into the dough when rolling it out. If the dough is too dry to handle, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to help it hold together so it stays malleable. Cracking: The dough may crack a bit when handling or baking. This could mean you used too much flour. Do not pack the flour in the measuring cup. Always spoon and level it. Also, don't use too much flour when rolling out the dough. This is adding more flour back into the dough, which will dry it out.Cookies Opening: Some of the cookies may open when baking. This happens to me all the time. Be sure to pinch the edges gently but firmly before baking. Any cookies that open during baking are samples to be eaten immediately - lucky you!Jam Leakage: The filling may leak out of the cookie, and this could be because the cookies weren't sealed well or they were overfilled.Dry Cookies: The cookies may taste a bit dry the first day you make them, especially if you accidentally use too much flour. Put them in a zip-top baggie in your fridge, then taste them the next day. The dough will absorb moisture from the jam filling and soften the cookie each day. I find the hamantashen taste great on Days 2, 3, and 4. They don't last longer than that!To make this dough vegan, use the following ingredients (which makes half the regular recipe) and follow the instructions noted above:
2 3/4 cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour (see article for recommendations)
1 tsp baking soda (I use baking soda instead of baking powder because baking soda is corn-free)
2 flax eggs (mix 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons of warm water and allow it five minutes to gel)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup avocado or other vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
Greek Yogurt vs Cream Cheese: I have tested this recipe with nonfat Greek yogurt in lieu of cream cheese, and it works really well. The cookies are less brown but still taste great. They do have a slightly different taste. While I prefer the cookies with the cream cheese, the Greek yogurt is still a great option.Freeze: These cookies freeze well. Add them to a freezer-safe container or bag before placing them in the freezer. Elevate the Cookies: Drizzle the cooled cookies with melted chocolate for an extra festive and delicious cookie! I add about 1/2 cup of melted chocolate to a piping bag and drizzle it all over the cookies in zigzags.