Easy Hamantaschen Recipe

Crisp, golden edges. A tender, buttery bite. And a sweet, fruit-filled center that peeks through like a little hidden gem. Hamantaschen are a tradition worth savoring, especially during Purim and Passover. While these triangular cookies are most often associated with Purim, their rich, buttery dough and nostalgic flavors make them a welcome treat for any springtime gathering.

Passover, a major Jewish holiday, commemorates the Jewish people’s liberation from slavery and their exodus from Egypt. Families come together for the Seder, a traditional meal filled with symbolic foods that tell the story of resilience and renewal. Eggs play a meaningful role in this holiday, often hard-boiled and dipped in salt water to represent the tears and sweat of past generations, or placed on the Seder plate as a symbol of rebirth.

With Pete & Gerry’s Eggs, these Hamantaschen honor tradition while bringing loved ones together through the joy of baking—perfect for celebrating heritage, storytelling, and sweet, buttery bites shared around the table.

Instructions

1. Cut butter into small chunks and place in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add sugar to the bowl. Use an electric or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and orange zest and beat again until creamy and well mixed.
4. Add flour and salt and mix on low speed until a crumbly dough forms.
5. Use your hands to knead the dough in the bowl until a smooth ball forms – be sure not to over-knead as that could make the dough tough. If the crumbles are too dry, add a splash of water, one teaspoon at a time. The finished dough should be smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky.
6. Form the dough into a flat disk and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 3 hours to overnight.
7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Lightly flour a smooth, clean surface. Unwrap the dough – it will be very firm. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to approximately 1/8-1/4 inch thick. If the dough is too firm to roll at first, pound it with the rolling pin. Seal any large cracks that form around the edges, and be sure to lightly flour the surface and rolling pin and flip the dough regularly to prevent sticking.
9. Use a 3+ inch round cookie cutter (we like 4 inches) or the rim of a jar or class to cut circles out of the dough. Place the circles on the lined baking sheets. Gather the scraps and roll the dough out again – continue this process until all the dough is used. This batch should make approximately 24 cookies.
10. Place 2 teaspoons of preserves or filling in the center of each circle. Do not overfill.
11. Shape the cookies by folding the top left third of the circle toward the center over the filling. Fold the upper right third of the dough toward the center, overlapping the previous ‘flap’ of dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough toward the center to create a centered, triangular opening on top. Lightly pinch the corner creases together to prevent the filling from spilling out during baking.
12. When all the hamantaschen have been filled and shaped, bake them on the lined baking sheets for 10 minutes. Check on them after 10 minutes and rotate the sheets in the oven if any are cooking more quickly than others. Bake in 2-minute increments, checking progress every two minutes. Cookies are done when they are lightly golden brown on the corners. Watch closely and don’t let them over bake!
13. Cool the cookies on a wire rack. The filling will remain very hot for several minutes, so be sure to let them cool completely before stuffing one in your mouth!
14. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.