Category Archives: Cookies

Hamantaschen {Recipe}

Cookies,

It’s that time of the year again; the Jewish holiday of Purim is upon us…time for hamantaschen!  I have been making these jam filled triangle cookies since I was a little girl.  I always used to look forward to making these with my mom.  I loved pinching the corners, trying my best to make them look pretty.  I can’t say they used to come out so perfectly but I think I’ve improved over the years.

Hummies

The dough is simple to make, shortening and honey go into the mixer.  Then the eggs are added.  Finally the dry ingredients are added with the mixer on low-salt, baking powder and flour.  Once the dough is made, it needs to be chilled for at least an hour, then it is rolled out.

Rolling the Dough

Time to cut out the cookies.  This year I tried to be all professional and cut the cookies out with a round cookie cutter, but it didn’t work out well.  The cookies were just not coming out right.  I made 2 separate batches this way.  I was blaming everything from the baking powder being to strong to my flour being too dry.  The truth is, these cookies need to be cut out with a drinking glass.  I know it sounds funny, but it works!

Cutting Out

When I was younger we used to fill the cookies with a spoon.  Although it was fun, it was also pretty messy.  Now I like to use a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip.

Filling the CookiesHere is the tricky part-pinching the corners. First I lift up the bottom of the round cookie with my thumb. Then with my pointer, I lift one side and pinch that corner together.  Then the third side gets lifted and the 2 other corners are pinched together.  Here is how it looks.

First SidePinchPinch Pinch

Pinch Pinch Pinch

The classic fillings are apricot, prune, and poppy seed, but a lot of people get creative with the fillings; chocolate chips, chocolate spread, peanut butter and jelly…the sky is the limit!  I just stick with the classics minus the poppy seed (we aren’t big fans in my family).

All Lined Up

I like them lightly baked, I think they stay fresher for longer.

Apricot and PruneThey look like little edible jewels!  I always have a hard time waiting for them to cool before I can gobble them up.  It’s not officially the Jewish holiday of Purim if I haven’t burned my mouth on the piping hot jam filling in these hamantaschen.

The recipe my mom always used is from the Jennie Grossinger Cookbook, The Art of Jewish Cooking.  This recipe is different than any other hamantaschen recipe I’ve come across.  Most recipes are similar to a sugar cookie, crispy and crumbly.  This recipe yields a more cake-like cookie, fluffy and tender.  I usually like to change every recipe I use to make it better, make it my own, but this recipe is so simple and perfect as is.  Plus, it’s non-dairy!

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Hamantaschen
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup honey
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Apricot and Prune Butter*
*It is labeled as fruit butter. It is just jam that doesn't spread and melt in the oven.
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey and shortening until smooth.
  3. Add in the eggs, one at a time.
  4. Then with the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Do not mix too much or the cookies will be tough.
  5. Wrap the dough and chill for at least an hour.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out thin.
  7. Using a round drinking glass, or round cookie cutter (2½ to 3 inches in diameter), cut out the cookies.
  8. Using a spoon or pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, fill the cookies with the jam filling.
  9. Pinch 3 corners together and bake for 8-10 minutes until light brown.
  10. Allow to cool-the filling will be extremely hot! Enjoy!

Want more hamantaschen recipes?

Here’s my recipe for peanut butter and jelly hamantaschen!

Try my recipe for pina colada hamantaschen!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Cookies

I’m not sure what it is about pumpkin that I just can’t resist but it has to be one of my favorite flavors.  I love when the holiday season comes around-pumpkin everywhere!  I wanted to see what would happen if I added pumpkin into my favorite snickerdoodle cookie recipe.  What could be bad? Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cinnamon sugar cookies, a family favorite.  I figured that the addition of pumpkin could only make them better.  I have to say, they were a hit!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

They baked up bright orange and made the whole house smell of pumpkin and spice.  I wish these were baking in my oven every day!  Look at the gorgeous color of the cookie dough, reminds me of a warm sunset.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Dough

I love the way the cookie dough matches the can of pumpkin.  The best part of these cookies is forming the dough into perfect little rounds and rolling it in glistening cinnamon sugar.  Mmm so festive!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles Ready To Bake

Look how cute they look, all lined up and ready to bake.  Wanna know what my son Charlie was doing while I was busy baking?

Charlie Taking A Nap

Taking an afternoon snooze.  What a good helper!  I love these pajamas with the little polar bears and penguins, they keep him so cozy.  He’s a little young for cookies so I had to try them out myself.

Cookie Bite

Yum yum yum!  And look who woke up to play…

Charlie Making A Funny Face

Want my recipe?  Here you go!  Btw, it’s a non-dairy recipe; an added bonus for your lactose intolerant loved ones!

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Author: 
Serves: About 5 Dozen Cookies
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • ½ cup margarine
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • ½ cup canned 100% pure pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 2½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the shortening and margarine with the sugar.
  2. Add in the pumpkin and then the eggs and beat until incorporated.
  3. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine.
  4. Turn off the mixer and add in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
  5. Turn the mixer on slowly so the flour doesn't fly all over the kitchen and mix until the dough comes together. Try not to mix too long or your cookies will be tough and not tender.
  6. Chill the dough for at least an hour in the fridge or freezer.
  7. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  8. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  9. In a small bowl combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 Tbs. cinnamon.
  10. Form the dough into balls (I use a 2 tsp. size cookie scoop) and roll in the cinnamon sugar.
  11. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are slightly browned. The cookies will continue to bake once they come out of the oven so don't worry if they look a little underdone. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.