This is such an easy, quick, yet super cute cupcake display for a “Very Hungry Caterpillar” themed party. I baked some vanilla cupcakes and swirled some frosting on top. I made a bright lime green buttercream and a bright yellow buttercream. I placed both colors into a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and piped simple swirls. This is my favorite and signature frosting application. For the face, I rolled out red fondant and cut it into an oval. I cut out yellow, green, and black fondant pieces to decorate the face. I allowed the face to dry for a few days so it would hold up once placed on the cupcake. The topper was much bigger than the cupcake it was placed upon, but it was a perfect, and simple. It was a lot easier than baking a small cake and covering it in fondant. I wish I had made these to go with my son’s Very Hungry Caterpillar cake, it would have been perfect!
Snickerdoodle Hamantaschen {Recipe}
It’s that time of year again! Crazy and exciting hamantaschen recipes coming your way! I love my original recipe, it makes a soft, sweet and tender cookie with classic jam filling. While the classics are always great, my fun flavors are not to be overlooked. Try my recipe for peanut butter and jelly, pina colada, funfetti, pumpkin chai, or cookies n’ cream! I’m not so sure you will be able to pick a favorite!
This year I wanted to come up with a simple flavor, nothing too crazy and I thought that cinnamon sugar aka snickerdoodle hamantaschen would be perfect! I had never heard of this take on the classic so what do I do first? I google it and…it’s not original! Town and Cooking shared a recipe just last year. Instead of getting completely bummed out, I used the recipe posted as an inspiration.
The dough I used is a soft sugar cookie recipe. I made this dough 4 or 5 different times until I got it just right. I wanted the texture to be crisp on the outside and a bit softer in the center to mimic a snickerdoodle. But it wasn’t that simple because I also needed them to keep this perfect triangle shape without puffing too much. Phew, glad it worked out! I adapted the filling recipe from Town and Cooking, and I think I made it even better! Some of their filling seemed to be leaking out, but I had no issues like that. After forming the hamantaschen, I dipped them in cinnamon sugar before baking to a light golden brown. Don’t overbake these or they won’t be soft and tender!!
Enjoy my simple, dairy-free, printable recipe below.
Having trouble forming your hamantaschen just right? Check out my picture tutorial here and my YouTube video below the recipe.
Snickerdoodle Hamantaschen
Author: Lil' Miss Cakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3 dozen
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup vegetable shortening, such as crisco
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2½ cups flour
- 2 Tbs. corn starch
- ½ tsp. salt
- 4 Tbs. soy milk
Cinnamon Schmear Filling
- ½ cup margarine, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tbs. cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the shortening, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add the egg and egg yolk (reserve the egg white for the filling) and mix until combined.
- Add in the flour, corn starch, and salt, and mix until combined.
- With the mixer running on low, stream in the soy milk and mix until the dough comes together.
- Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- Place the margarine in a small heatproof bowl and in the microwave.
- Add in the brown sugar, flour, egg white, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.
Form the Hamantachen
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out thin.
- Using a round drinking glass, or round cookie cutter (2½ to 3 inches in diameter), cut out the cookies.
- Using a spoon or pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, fill the cookies with the cinnamon schmear filling. Don't add too much; 1 tsp. is enough.
- Pinch 3 corners together to form the signature shape.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each hamantasch in the cinnamon sugar and make sure each one is completely coated.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until light brown.
- Cool on a wire rack before enjoying.
Kosher By Design “Brings It Home” {Review and Giveaway}
I am so overwhelmed by this post right now I don’t even know where to start! A cookbook review, a new recipe, a huge giveaway…aaah! First of all, Susie Fishbein, a kosher cookbook legend and one of my personal idols, is back with her final installment of the Kosher By Design series. Kosher By Design Brings It Home: picture-perfect food inspired by my travels
What I love about this cookbook already (…and I’ve only seen a preview!) are the gorgeous color photos that accompany each recipe. I love seeing these photos because not only do I know what my dish will look like, but just thumbing through a gorgeous cookbook is enjoyable! To me, cookbooks are more than just a resource, they are a work of art, and this cookbook series proudly sits on my bookshelf!
Another thing I love about Susie’s cookbooks is that although her recipes are delicious and perfect for presentation, she makes the cooking process accessible and easy to understand. Many of her recipes are quick an easy, some are for the more seasoned chef, but there is something for everyone. In her most recent cookbooks and especially in “Brings It Home”, there are new and interesting ingredients introduced from around the world. Susie introduces new ingredients through dishes that sound exciting and will have you running to to the store to sample those new flavors.
The official release of this beautiful cookbook is Thursday, February 25, 2016 but I got a sneak preview and I’m finally able to share a recipe with you! I can’t wait to get my hands on my own copy but until then please enjoy this recipe for halvah baklava reproduced from Kosher by Design Brings it Home, by Susie Fishbein, with permission from the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications. You don’t have to wait for the release, you can preorder your copy right now! I made it easy for you, just follow my affiliate link and place your order asap- Kosher By Design Brings It Home: picture-perfect food inspired by my travels
Kosher By Design "Brings It Home"
Author: Susie Fishbein
Serves: 10-12 Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
- 15 sheets (from a 1 pound box) phyllo dough, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator
- ½ cup canola oil
Filling
- 1 cup roasted pistachios
- 1 cup roasted almonds
- 1 cup roasted pecans
- 1 pound halvah, chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Honey Syrup
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup honey
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Prepare the filling
- Place the pistachios, almonds, pecans, halvah, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal "S" blade. Pulse until ground but not a paste. Set aside.
Prepare the syrup
- Place the sugar, honey, water, and lemon juice into a medium pot. Over medium heat, bring just to a boil. Turn down to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Place a sheet of phyllo lengthwise on the work surface. Brush with canola oil. Top with another layer of phyllo. Brush with canola.Top with a third layer of phyllo and oil. Roll all four edges ½-inch inward to make a frame. Brush rolled edges with oil.
- Spread a thick layer of nut filling over the phyllo. Starting with a short end, roll up, jellyroll fashion; transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat, making 4 more rolled logs. Brush the logs with oil. Using a serrated knife, cut 4 diagonal slits across the top of each log.
- Bake, uncovered, for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately spoon syrup over the logs. Slice each log into 4-5 slices. Serve 2 slices to a plate. Drizzle with more syrup around the plate.
Now on to the giveaway! This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only. Giveaway will end in one week from today. Please don’t forget to enter! Do it now!
