Strawberry, blueberry, apricot, and cream cheese Hamantaschen cookies are different and taste so good. They are creamy and sweet in flavor and so fun to make for the upcoming Purim celebration!
Happy Purim!
I can't believe it is already Purim and it is time to make these amazing Hamantaschen cookies. These cookies are creamy and sweet they are even better than the classic cookies. There are many variations of this cookie and I wanted to try something different this year. I like that this recipe is simple and only requires one extra ingredient, the cream cheese. Each bite of these cookies has the perfect crunch and tastes sweet and salty. These cookies will last in your fridge for about a week so you can make them ahead of the party!
I love making Hamantaschen because they are fun to make with friends and family. It is the perfect time of year to get together with a group of people, talk about traditions, and enjoy an activity together. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic this year, I can't make Hamantaschen with friends so I wanted to try out a different recipe. Every year I make the same kind of Hamantaschen cookie filled with apricot, strawberry, or raspberry. I don't make the prune-filled Hamantaschen because lets be honest no one really likes the prune flavor ones. I wanted to play around with the recipe that I normally make and try mixing flavors. I changed up the dough recipe by mixing two different types of flours, adding cinnamon, and using a lot of orange zest.
Why do we make Hamantaschen for Purim?
Purim is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the story about the Jewish people being saved from Haman, an evil leader. There are two stories about why Hamantaschen are eaten on Purim. The first story states in the 1500s German Jews named Hamantaschen for "Haman Pockets" because the evil Haman's pockets were filled with bribe money. The second story of where the name Hamantaschen came from is that the cookies are shaped like Haman's three-cornered hat and filled with poppy seeds because mohn (poppy seeds in Yiddish) is a sign of wickedness. I personally like the idea that the cookies are shaped like his hat and that is the story I tell with my family and friends.
A few tips to success:
Flours - I used a mixture of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour because it adds a nice texture to the cookies. It makes the cookies extra crispy and forms a beautiful light brown look. You can use all all purpose flour if that is the flour you have in the pantry.
Shaping the dough - to make the triangle the sides of the circle to form a triangle shape. I pinch mine so that the edges are standing up. Another method is to fold each corner over so the hamantaschen triangles are flattened.
Egg wash - an egg wash will seal the edges of the cookies however, you can use water or a milk wash if you prefer not to use egg. You do need some sealing agent so that the cookies don't explode in the oven.
Jams - I used apricot, strawberry and blueberry jam because those are my favorite flavors however, you can use whatever jam flavor you prefer.
Cream cheese - if you want to make classic hamantaschen cookie you can leave out the cream cheese and only use jam. The cream cheese adds an extra creamy and salty flavor that I enjoy eating with the sweet jam.
Sea salt - an optional step is to add a little bit of sea salt ontop of each hamantaschen. This adds a little extra salty flavor paired with the very sweet jams.
Check out how to make Hamantaschen below:
Jam & Cream Cheese Hamantaschen
Serving size: 24 cookies
Total Time: 1 hour and 10 mins
Source: Adapted from my name is yeh
Dough:
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest of 1 orange
Filling:
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup blueberry or raspberry or strawberry or apricot jam
flaky sea salt
Topping:
egg wash
course sugar or powdered sugar
Step 1: Prepare the dough, in a large bowl, whisk the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, and then whisk in the vanilla and orange zest. With a spatula fold in the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl. Mix until dough forms. I use my hands to shape the dough into discs. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. To expedite this you can put the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Step 2: When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3: On a lightly floured surface, split the dough in half or thirds and roll it out until it is 1/8 inch thick, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. I made three different kinds of hamantaschen so I split the dough up into thirds. It is easier to work in small batches and keep the rest of the dough cold while working.
Step 4: Cut out 3-inch circles, re-rolling scraps as needed. If you don't have a 3-inch circle you can use a cup or top of a jar to cut into circles. Place 1 teaspoon of cream cheese in the center. I add the cream cheese with my fingers because it is easier to work with the cream cheese by hand. Add on top a heaping teaspoon of jam (any flavor you choose), allowing a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Brush the border with egg wash and fold the edges up to form a triangle shape, pinching the corners firmly to seal. Sprinkle the jam with a pinch of sea salt. For extra effect, you can brush the outside edges with egg wash and cover with coarse sugar or sprinkles or dust with powdered sugar after baking. Place on the baking sheets, and bake until the bottoms are lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
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