Get Your J Smarts On

Hamentashen are a sweet treat made especially for the holiday of Purim.

Hamentashen is Yiddish for “Haman’s Pockets”. In Hebrew, they are called Oznei Haman, or “Haman’s Ears”. The shape of the cookie is a triangle, because the myths surrounding the story tell us that the villain Haman either had a 3 cornered hat, or particularly pointed ears (or both!). We call them Haman’s Pockets because we fill the center of the cookie with something sweet – usually a fruit filling, chocolate, nuts, or a combination of them. I know of several more modern interpretations that fill the cookie with brownie or chocolate chip cookie dough.

It is traditional to include Hamentashen inside Mishloach Manot, gifts of food and treats exchanged between friends and family during the holiday.

Here is an easy recipe for you to try:

Ingredients: 3 cups of flour (plus a bit extra for your workspace), 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/8 cup orange juice, your choice of filling.

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. If you wish to use a mixer, you will want a stand mixer, as the dough will be too thick for a hand mixer. You may wish to add a bit of extra vanilla if you’d like more vanilla flavor. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour. If it’s too dry, add more orange juice. The consistency you want is a thick dough that is able to be rolled flat.

Sprinkle flour on your workspace and roll out the dough. Cut circles using a cookie cutter, or the convenient rim of a sturdy cup or glass. Place a dollop of filling in the middle of each circle. If the dough is on the drier side, dip a finger in a small bowl of water and dampen the edges of the dough to allow it to stick better. Fold the edges of the circle up to form a triangle shape, and pinch or fold the edges together, leaving a hole on top to vent (and display the flavor!).

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. (Ovens vary – watch your first batch so you get an idea if yours will cook faster or slower.) Recipe makes about 2 dozen large Hamentashen.

It may take some trial and error to get yours to stay in shape and look “right”, but no matter what they look like, they still taste good!

Happy baking and happy Purim!