Timeless Hamantaschen Recipe
A Classic Recipe to Return to Again and Again
Hamantaschen are a Purim treat, their iconic triangular shape and sweet fillings evoking generations of Jewish tradition. While many families have their own favorite versions, this recipe stays true to a classic approach—using a cookie-like dough that’s both tender and sturdy enough to hold a rich poppy seed (mohn) filling. It’s the kind of recipe you can return to year after year, bringing the warmth of tradition to your holiday baking.
This recipe is featured in Jewish Sweets, a new community cookbook from Jewish Food Hero that brings together 100 delectable dessert recipes from Jewish bakers around the world. Spanning a wide range of traditions and flavors—from Ashkenazi classics to contemporary global twists—Jewish Sweets is a celebration of the ways that food connects us across time and place. With options for dairy, pareve, and Passover-friendly baking, there’s something for every home baker to enjoy.
Abby Forstot Shashoua, the contributor of this recipe, is an Atlanta-based baker and the owner of The Fine Print Bakery, where she specializes in gluten-free and vegan treats. She discovered this Hamantaschen recipe in The Stuffed Bagel, a synagogue cookbook published in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1976. Her aunt, Sheila Gendil, helped compile the book, making it a cherished family treasure. Abby’s love for this recipe lies in its versatility—you can use the same dough with a variety of fillings, from classic poppy seed to fruit jams, nuts, and marzipan. Whether you’re baking for Purim or simply craving a taste of tradition, this recipe invites you to bring a piece of Jewish history into your own kitchen.
Hamantaschen with Poppy Seed Filling
Dairy
Prep time: 3 to 3 ½ hours
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 3 ½ to 4 hours
Yield: 20-24 hamantaschen
Hamantaschen have always been a delicious way to celebrate Purim. This recipe, which uses a cookie-like dough, is from the synagogue cookbook “The Stuffed Bagel” published in Columbia, South Carolina in 1976. My aunt, Sheila Gendil, helped compile the recipe book, and it has since been a staple in our family for decades. “The Stuffed Bagel” includes many beloved family recipes, such as this one.
You can use the basic recipe for Hamantaschen dough with any filling. Some of my favorites are: chopped apricots with jam, prunes, marzipan, honeyed nuts, and berries with jam.
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
2 eggs
⅔ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
Orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups flour
1-5 teaspoons water
Egg wash (for folding)
Mohn Filling:
¾ cup poppyseed
⅛ cup butter (use non-dairy butter for pareve version)
½ cup milk
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
Tools:
Baking sheets
Bowl
Cookie cutter, 2-3”
Food wrap
Measuring cups and spoons
Rolling pin
Saucepan
Spatula
Whisk or spoon
Instructions:
For the Mohn filling:
Melt together all ingredients (except the egg) in a sauce over medium heat.
Remove ½ cup full and place in a prep set aside.
In the prep bowl, slowly fold in the beaten egg and mix thoroughly and then pour back into the saucepan - whisking constantly.
Continue to whisk over low heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
For the Hamantaschen:
Mix together all dough ingredients except the water, then add the water at the end.
Tightly wrap the dough in cling wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge for a few hours.
Roll out the dough to ¼” thick and cut into 2-3” circles using a cookie cutter.
Fill each circle with a teaspoon of your choice of filling. Use egg wash to seal the corners when folding.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Thank you to Abby and The Fine Print Bakery, for sharing this classic favorite Hamantaschen recipe with us!
Happy Purim.
Kenden
