The most traditional filling for Hamantaschen cookies is poppy seed (known in Yiddish as mohn). Some people believe this tradition finds its roots in a pun. In Yiddish, Hamantaschen literally translates to “Haman’s pockets.” A slight variation of the word, ha-mohn-taschen, literally translates to “the poppy seed pockets.”
Whatever the reason, poppy seed is the most popular of all Hamantachen fillings. Here is my favorite recipe for poppy seed filling.
To make this filling pareve (dairy free), I’ve recommended some specific substitutes below. I really like this filling better dairy, but you can get a descent pareve result using the recommended substitutions.
Need a delicious and foolproof hamantaschen dough recipe? For my Dairy Free Hamantaschen dough, click here. For my Buttery Hamantaschen dough, click here.
Note: I have improved this recipe since originally posting… I am always working to make my recipes the best that they can be. Enjoy!
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Mohn - Poppy Seed Filling for Hamantaschen
32 servings
5 minutes
10 minutes
Dairy or Parve
Description
Recipe for mohn - poppy seed filling for hamantaschen, or any cookie or pastry. Thick rich and creamy filling, similar to Solo. Kosher, Pareve.
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole unground poppy seeds (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (see cooking instructions for parve subs)
- 1 cup milk (see cooking instructions for parve subs)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Instructions
Grind the poppy seeds in a coffee grinder in batches for about 15-20 seconds per batch, until they are ground soft and powdery.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the milk, sugar, honey and salt (read the salt note at the end of this recipe before adding). Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, till the sugar dissolves and the honey melts.
Pour about 1 cup of the hot liquid into a cup.
Immediately but gradually being drizzling the hot liquid into the beaten eggs. Whisk briskly and constantly till all of the hot liquid is integrated into the eggs. Do not pour too quickly, or you'll scramble your eggs. It should take about a minute to drizzle all of the liquid.
Slowly pour the heated, tempered egg mixture back into the hot liquid in the saucepan, whisking constantly.
Continue to whisk and cook for 3-5 more minutes over medium heat till the mixture thickens and turns light yellow. It is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk the ground poppy seeds into the buttery liquid and stir well to blend all ingredients.
Allow filling to cool to room temperature before using. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To make this filling parve (dairy free), you will need to use a substitute for the milk and the butter. For the milk, I like SoDelicious coconut creamer, which gives it a creamy, very faint coconut taste (vegan, but produced on dairy equipment for those who are strictly kosher). You can also use regular coconut milk, rice milk, almond milk or soy milk as a sub. For the butter sub, I don't like to use margarine very often, but in this case I'd recommend Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks. They have no hydrogenated fat, and in small amounts they make a passable substitute for butter. They do have salt, so I would recommend cutting the 1/4 tsp of salt in the recipe if using this product. If you are comfortable using unsalted margarine, feel free.
Hi,
Hamantashen time is soon..in March for Purim.
I am looking for recipes for cookie dough poppy seed hamantashen.
I see your recipe for the filling, how about the dough as well?
If you are going to San Francisco, the best I ever had, aside from my mothers, can be found at House of Bagels on Geary Street in San Fran.
Thanks.
Everything hamantaschen can be found here, including two dough recipes and all the fillings: https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-make-perfect-hamantaschen/
Tori! Thank you for your prompt reply!
I don’t care about dairy-free. I used oil in most of my bread baking and thought to mix room temperature components and then slow heat it up for thickening.
I am new to tempering and don’t know if my way may work.
Thanks, Greisha
If you are not worried about it being dairy free, I recommend sticking with the butter. Oil won’t work the same way here that it does in baked recipes. All the best!
Thank you.