Earlier today I posted my Dairy Free Hamantaschen recipe. I also wanted to offer a butter-based dairy hamantaschen dough for those who prefer a more buttery flavored cookie. This dough produces a tender, sweet hamantaschen. While many who keep kosher prefer dairy-free cookies (so they can be served with a meat meal), others don’t mind adding butter to the mix. This dough provides a dairy hamantaschen option for your Purim menu.
I like this dough because it produces a rich, buttery, orange-scented cookie that is full of flavor. The dough will work with any hamantaschen filling, and it won’t open up/expand in the oven during baking, as long as you don’t overfill your cookies and your filling has the proper texture. There are a few drawbacks–it needs to be thoroughly chilled before rolling out (it’s too sticky to roll at room temperature), and it is not as flexible to work with as my dairy free dough. That is the nature of butter doughs; when cold, butter becomes stiff, which in turn makes the dough somewhat stiff and tougher to shape. That said, if you have some experience with baking and working with butter dough, this one should pose no problems for you… in fact, it’s one of the easier butter doughs that I’ve worked with. Note: if this is your first time making hamantaschen and/or butter dough, I recommend starting with my Dairy Free dough. It’s easier to work with than the buttery one, and the flavor is similar.
You can use any hamantaschen filling you like with this dough; I’ve linked to the filling recipes available on my site below. The key to a good filling is to make sure it is thick enough to prevent running, but not so thick that it bakes up dry or tough. All of these filling recipes are tasty, and they all have the proper texture for use in hamantaschen. I will update this list of fillings as I add new ones to the site.
Hamantaschen Fillings
Rabbi Olitzky’s Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Filling
For my Dairy Free Hamantaschen dough, click here. To learn more about the holiday of Purim, click here.
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Buttery Hamantaschen
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-5 tsp water (if needed)
NOTES
Instructions
- Slice room temperature butter into small chunks and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add sugar to the bowl. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes till light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest to the bowl. Beat again till creamy and well mixed.
- Sift flour and salt into the bowl.Mix with the electric mixer on low speed till a crumbly dough forms.
- Begin to knead dough with hands till a smooth dough ball forms. Try not to overwork the dough, only knead till the dough is the right consistency. If the crumbles are too dry to form a smooth dough, add water slowly, 1 teaspoon at a time, using your hands to knead the liquid into the dough. Knead and add liquid until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky to the touch (not sticky), with a consistency that is right for rolling out. It can easily go from the right consistency to too wet/sticky, so add water very slowly. If the dough seems too wet, knead in a little flour till it reaches the right texture.
- Form the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours to overnight.
- Before you begin to assemble the hamantaschen, choose and make your filling and have it on hand to work with. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly flour a smooth, clean surface. Unwrap the dough disk and place it on the floured surface. The dough will be very firm after chilling.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick. At the beginning, it will be tough to roll out-- you may need to pound it a bit. A heavy rolling pin works best. As you roll, cracks may form on the edges of the dough. Repair any large cracks with your fingers and continue rolling.When the dough reaches 1/4 inch thickness, scrape the dough up with a pastry scraper, lightly reflour the surface, and flip the dough over. Continue rolling the dough out very thin (less than 1/8 of an inch thick). The thinner you roll the dough, the more delicate and crisp the cookies will turn out-- just make sure that the dough is still thick enough to hold the filling and its shape! If you prefer a thicker, more doughy texture to your cookies (less delicate), keep the dough closer to 1/4 inch thick. Lightly flour the rolling pin occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Use a 3-inch cookie cutter (not smaller) or the 3-inch rim of a glass to cut circles out of the dough, cutting as many as you can from the dough.Gather the scraps and roll them out again. Cut circles. Repeat process again if needed until you've cut as many circles as you can from the dough. You should end up with around 35 circles (unless you've kept your dough on the thicker side, which will result in less cookies).
- Place a teaspoon of filling (whichever filling you choose) into the center of each circle. Do not use more than a teaspoon of filling, or you run the risk of your hamantaschen opening and filling spilling out during baking. Cover unused circles with a lightly damp towel to prevent them from drying out while you are filling.
- Assemble the hamantaschen in three steps. First, grasp the left side of the circle and fold it towards the center to make a flap that covers the left third of the circle.Grasp the right side of the circle and fold it towards the center, overlapping the upper part of the left side flap to create a triangular tip at the top of the circle. A small triangle of filling should still be visible in the center.
- Grasp the bottom part of the circle and fold it upward to create a third flap and complete the triangle. When you fold this flap up, be sure to tuck the left side of this new flap underneath the left side of the triangle, while letting the right side of this new flap overlap the right side of the triangle. This way, each side of your triangle has a corner that folds over and a corner that folds under-- it creates a "pinwheel" effect. This method if folding is not only pretty-- it will help to keep the cookies from opening while they bake.
- Pinch each corner of the triangle gently but firmly to secure the shape. If any cracks have formed at the places where the dough is creased, use the warmth of your fingers to smooth them out.Repeat this process for the remaining circles.
- When all of your hamantaschen have been filled, place them on a lightly greased baking sheet, evenly spaced.
- Place them in the oven and let them bake at 350 degrees for 10-25 minutes, until the cookies are cooked through and lightly golden. Start checking them at 10 minutes; because the dough thickness tends to vary on these cookies they can cook quite fast if rolled thin. In most ovens it will take around 15-20 minutes, but best to keep a close watch over them as they cook to avoid overcooking or burning.Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Store them in a tightly sealed plastic bag or Tupperware.
Nutrition
I recently studied the book of Esther which led me to search for a recipe for Hamantaschen. I tried your recipe today, along with the prune filling. Delicious and if I do say so myself, they turned out very well for a first timer! I rolled the dough between sheets of waxed paper which made it very easy. Thank you.
Made this yesterday and the dough was delicious and very easy to make and handle. We made homemade blueberry filling. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really out of your mind if you think this can be rolled to an 1/8 of an inch and worked with to create a structurally sound hamantaschen. The recipe is ok, but no way it will yield anywhere near the 35 cookies.
If perhaps you are working in a freezer where you can keep the dough hard enough while it actually rolls out and your touch doesn’t disintegrate them.
In short – don’t try to roll more than 1/4″ and assume you will get 20 cookies if lucky.
“Really out of your mind” isn’t the kindest way to phrase this; please try to keep your comments respectful. I make this recipe every year and roll it out to about 1/8 inch. As you can see from all the 5 star reviews, not many others have experienced the issues that you have in making this recipe. I am approving this comment because honest feedback is encouraged and may be helpful to others, but please review our comment policy (linked above) before providing feedback in future.
I got 33. Just eyeballed the dough thickness. Would have been easy enough to get 35.
Made these for Purim this year and they’re fantastic!!! In the past, I’ve been disappointed with “too runny” of a filling, so I pressed my blackberry jam through a sieve and saved the liquid in a separate bowl. I used the big concentrated part for the filling after mixing back in about a tablespoon and a half of the liquid and added some clove. They were much less syrupy this way and they didn’t “escape” the cookie. Definitely making these again next Purim. Also, keeping the recipe for a really yummy shortbread dough for other cookies. Thank you
I’ve been munching on too many of these. Oh, gosh, they are good. I noticed that my dough fell apart a lot, so I guess I didn’t add enough water. Also, the store was out of apricots, so I used Bonne Maman apricot preserves. Oy, not such a good idea, as it’s too runny and the preserves went everywhere. Anyways. it’s a wonderful recipe and I am loving these.
Made these cookies for Purim. I put lemon curd in mine and they were amazing! One batch was not enough for my family. I’m making another batch today. This recipe is going in my “special” cookbook with all the old, (and some new) handwritten family favorites. Thanks for a great recipe!
Tori,
This is my second year using your recipe for hamantaschen dough. I wanted to let you know that since I can’t have dairy or gluten, I successfully substituted Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour (OU kosher) for the flour, and Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Butter (Kof-of-K certified kosher parve) for the butter. I actually made your recipe for honey preserved kumquats a short while ago, so instead of orange peel I took out the insides of the kumquats and minced the peel finely. The dough does have a tendancy to crack because of the gf flour, so you do have to be careful (after rolling and cutting out the circles, I needed to use a spatula to transfer the rounds to a baking sheet), but they came out perfect! I also found I should be conservative when sprinkling the gluten free flour for rolling – adding too much additional flour dries out the dough, so I did have to add back in a little water at one point. I also used your recipes for apricot filling and prune/lekvar filling (though I doctored them up a little bit – I used some of the syrup from the honey preserved kumquats in place of the sugar and orange juice for the apricot. I added vanilla bean powder and vanilla extract to the prune, and used coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar). They were not only beautiful looking, but also delicious!
I am so pleased to hear this! I haven’t had much luck subbing GF flours in this recipe, but it sounds like I might have to give it another try. Love the other modifications you made to make these your own. Thanks for sharing!
The dough was entirely falling apart when I was folding it, would you have any ideas as to why?
You likely didn’t add enough water to the dough. It’s really a “feel” thing – it takes practice. For people who haven’t worked with buttery doughs before, I recommend my dairy free one, which is very similar to this one, but a lot easier to work with. Here is the link: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/dairy-free-hamantaschen/
Made these for Purim. Followed the recipe except for the orange zest. It was really good. I used Bonne Maman apricot preserves for filling. But I didn’t need to add water to the dough. I also didn’t chill the dough. But it turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
An easy recipe with spectacular results. I used a 3.5″ hexagonal cookie cutter, inspired by a feature I saw on CBS Sunday Morning last week. Just match up the points and twist the ends closed. There’s no guessing, and no extra dough in the edge-to-edge honeycomb pattern. A small spring-loaded melon baller delivered a quick-release dose of filling, even chocolate ganache.
Delicious cookies!! Love them! Made them just now, buttery and delicious hamantaschen! Left the orange zest only because I didn’t have any, and still yummy! Thank you for sharing!
Did you use self rising flour or all purpose? Thanks!
All purpose flour is used in this recipe.
It is a great recipe, especially for home made poppy seeds filling. Can not compare to canned stuff. Thank you. Made them for Purim. Delicious!
I’ve been making this recipe for quite a few years. Here are a few things I do to get the most out of this great recipe.
I use only 1/2 cup sugar.
When kneading the dough together, I use 2-3 teaspoons of water to make sure the dough is tacky. This keeps the cookie moist and avoids cracking when I fold it.
Rather than chill two thick disks of dough which are hard to roll out later, I take each half and roll it out between two pieces of plastic wrap to the desired thickness (3/8 ” is my preferred which gives me 2 dozen). I check the thickness with a marked toothpick.
I cut all the cookies out and lay on the baking sheets with a damp towel over them. This gives the dough a few minutes to soften which, again, helps keep it from cracking when folding.
Before folding over the filling, I dampen two fingers of each hand and moisten the edge of the dough circle going down a row at a time on the baking sheet. This keeps the cookie from opening and the damp fingers help me smooth out any rough places on the dough as I work.
I cover the filled cookies with the damp towel and place in the frig until it’s time to bake. I give it 16 minutes baking one sheet at a time in a convection oven. This gives a blond look with little browning.
This year I tried the Nutella filling but stirred a little raspberry jam into the Nutella. It took the flavor to a higher level.
Thank you for all of the tips! This is my first time making these and I’m going to be teaching my 3rd graders how to fold them tomorrow! My trials were pretty successful and, I wish that I had reduced the sugar in the dough because it is sooooo sweet. Still, I like the recipe and I’m sure my students will enjoy them!
I’ve made these for 2 or 3 years and I have to agree with some of the other comments about how difficult this recipe is. Perhaps if you are a professional with professional equipment in a professional setting it is easier, but for the lay-person I feel this recipe needs quite a lot of caveats and some more tips for a successful endeavor. I realize Purim is in March, but those of us in warmer climates are going to have problems with this delicate dough.
The dough is incredibly tender and needs to be kept cold for this all to be successful. Here are some tips that makes getting a better finished product:
– If you aren’t preparing these in an environment that is 60 degrees or cooler, the dough it going to become a gooey mess. I create at least 2 disks of dough before I wrap and refrigerate, and keep them fairly thin – about an inch if you can so you don’t have to fight rolling them out when they are still hard. You want them to be as hard as possible and still roll out. You will be fixing cracks on every roll when the dough is cold, but it is still better than the dough being to warm.
– Aim for more than 1/8th of an inch for your first batch. If you are successful with the first disc of dough, then try thinner – but be warned these things can basically melt as you try to transfer them from the rolling surface.
– After I’ve rolled out the dough I put the scraps back in the fridge (or freezer) while I work on the next batch. Giving it just a few minutes to harden back up can make re-rolling it a better experience.
– After I cut the circles I immediately place them on the greased cookie sheet, which has been stored in the fridge (or freeze) this will keep the dough cool and harden it more so that folding will not cause the dough to sag or fall apart
– A teaspoon of jelly filling is definitely correct. Anything more and it will be oozing out. If you use poppy seed or a ganache you can put a little bit more as these don’t seem to ooze. I also keep all the fillings in the fridge until ready to use so they are firmer.
– The corners need more of a “firm” pushing rather than a “gentle”. While these are supposed to be folded and not “pinched”, you still want to ensure that the points of contact are pushed so that they fuse into each other a bit. Otherwise, when cooking the flaps can sometimes start to open and the filling can push down the cookie wall.
– Placing the cookies back in the fridge for a few minutes to harden again prior to cooking seems to help the cookies keep their form while building strength hardening in the oven and prevents the jelly/jam from oozing to quickly.
– Let cool on tray for about 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
good luck!
Thank you for sharing your tips, TJ. This is why I repeatedly encourage people to try the dairy free version of the dough, which is quite comparable in terms of flavor, and much easier to work with overall: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/recipes/dairy-free-hamantaschen/
I LOVE this recipe! This year I made six times the recipe for my mishloach manot… but I didn’t have enough time to bake it all yet. How long can I keep the dough in the fridge? Will it last a week in the plastic wrap before I get to bake it again?
Most dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.