Happy Holiday Hamantaschen

Purim is next week, and that means it’s hamantaschen time.

Hamantaschen (pronounced hah-men-tah-shen) are triangular treats with a delicious filling peeking through the center. You start with a circle of dough, add a dab of filling to the center, and then fold the edges inward to form a triangle, pinching the corners together.

If you know the story of Purim, you may recognize a key figure hiding in the name of this holiday food: Haman. Hamantaschen is a Yiddish word, and “haman” refers to wicked Haman, who conceived a plot to annihilate the Jewish people living in ancient Persia. “Taschen” means “pockets.” Thus, these traditional Purim treats are “Haman’s pockets.”

Some say “pockets” refers to the way the cookies hold the filling, while others say these cookie pockets represent Haman’s evil in that he used money from his own pockets to bribe the king to sign the death decree against the Jewish people.

The triangular shape also holds symbolism. Some say it resembles Haman’s three-pointed hat, and others suggest it represents the fathers of Judaism – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Curiously, in Israel, this treat is sometimes called oznei Haman (oz-nay hah-man), or Haman’s ears.

Traditional hamantaschen are cookies with a poppy seed filling, but the possible variations are nearly endless. And you don’t have to restrict yourself to desserts. You can make savory hamantaschen for delicious appetizers or kid-friendly snacks.

Why not plan a day of Purim fun with the kids or grandkids this year?

Purim is the most festive of all the Jewish holidays. That’s because Mordecai, after the Jewish people were saved from destruction, commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the victory with feasting and rejoicing.

Here are a few ways you can celebrate Purim with your children or grandchildren.

The Purim Story. Brush up on the Purim story and share it with your loved ones. See “Setting the Stage for Purim.”

Purim Coloring Collection. For a fun Purim activity, download our Purim coloring pages. For a small gift in support of the ministry, you get 10 different designs. Once you download them, you can print as many as you need, as often as you like.

Have a Hamantaschen Lunch. Use the recipes below to make easy hamantaschen with no-fuss dough made from refrigerator pie crust or croissant dough.

Kid Friendly Hamantaschen Snacks

Sweet & Fluffy Hamantaschen

Ingredients

• One package of refrigerated croissant dough
• Filling Options:
  • Jam – traditional hamantaschen filling is poppy seed, fruit jam, or preserves
  • Chocolate Spread, such as Nutella
  • Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Fluff
  • S’Mores – chocolate spread and marshmallow fluff filling, topped with a crushed graham cracker sprinkle
  • Cinnamon Marshmallow Fluff – add a dollop of marshmallow fluff and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
  • Easy Candy Fillings: Pinch your hamantaschen corners around a mini peanut butter cup, Rolo, or Junior Mint candy

Instructions

• Form hamantaschen triangles according to Dough Instructions below, using 1/2–3/4 teaspoon of total filling
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10–12 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown

Taco Hamantaschen

Ingredients

• 1 package of refrigerated pie crust dough (2 crusts)
• 1 cup ground beef
• Taco seasonings to taste
• Egg wash – 1 beaten egg, set aside
• Topping Options:
  • Sour Cream
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Salsa
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Guacamole
  • Diced Scallions

Directions

• Cook 1 cup of ground beef in a pan, breaking apart into small pieces, until no pink shows
• Drain fat from the pan
• Return meat to the pan, and stir in taco seasoning to taste until well mixed
• Form hamantaschen triangles according to Dough Instructions below, using 1/2–3/4 teaspoon of ground beef as filling
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10–12 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown
• Top as desired

Pizza Hamantaschen

Ingredients

• One package of Refrigerator Pie Crust (2 crusts)
• Pizza or marinara sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Your favorite Italian herb/seasoning, such as oregano, basil, garlic, or parsley

Instructions

• Form hamantaschen triangles according to Dough Instructions below, using 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sauce topped with a small cube of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with your favorite Italian seasoning
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10–12 minutes, or until crust is lightly golden brown

Dough Instructions

For Pie Crust Dough: Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 10–15 minutes before unrolling it so it doesn’t crack. Unroll the dough and lay it flat on a cutting board or counter. You may need to lightly flour your surface to prevent sticking.

For Croissant Dough: Keep it refrigerated until right before using so it doesn’t get too soft to handle. Unroll the sheet of dough and gently press the existing perforations together to create a continuous piece of dough.

Cut 3-Inch Circles

• Use a 3-inch circular cookie cutter (or a jar, glass, or lid) to cut close circles from the dough. Gather the dough scraps into a ball, then roll it out to 1/8–inch thickness for cutting more circles. You may need to lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
• Place circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Forming the Triangles

• Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 of a teaspoon of filling onto the center of a dough circle. Don’t overfill to keep the corners from popping open during baking

• Method 1: Fold one-third of the circle edge onto the filling. Repeat twice to create a triangle, overlapping the dough at the corners. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash
• Method 2: Brush egg wash around the outer edge of the dough circle. Lift the dough in one spot and pinch it together to form a corner of the pocket you’re creating. Repeat twice to create a triangular pocket around the filling. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash