Apple Hamantaschen

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Hamantaschen are filled triangular cookies eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. Traditional versions are made with a poppy seed or prune filling, but recipe developer Breana Killeen, who lives in Vermont, thought it would be a delicious way to use the apple butter her mother canned one fall.

a recipe photo of the Apple Hamantaschen
Credit: Brittany Conerly
Active Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
4 hrs
Servings:
36
Nutrition Profile:
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

  • 1 ¾ cups whole-wheat pastry flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided

  • 3 cups peeled finely chopped tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 5 small)

  • ¼ cup apple butter

  • ¼ cup water

  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

  1. Beat butter, sugar and lemon zest at medium speed with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, until creamy and lightened in color, 2 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and beating until just combined after each addition, then vanilla, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes.

  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed and scraping the bowl as needed; beat until just combined, about 1 minute. Divide the dough in 3 rounds and wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

  3. Meanwhile, combine apples, apple butter, water, maple syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and the mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

  4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  5. Roll out 1 dough round on a floured surface until 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut 12 circles from the dough (only reroll scraps once). Place the 12 dough rounds on a prepared baking sheet. Add 2 teaspoons of the apple mixture to the center of each round. Working quickly so the dough does not dry out, fold one edge inward, slightly covering the filling. Fold the next edge slightly overlapping, and then the last, creating a triangle with overlapping sides so you still can see a quarter-size amount of the filling in the center. Press the dough down in the corners to ensure the dough sticks together. Freeze the hamantaschen for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 36 total hamantaschen.

  6. Bake the hamantaschen, 1 sheet at a time, until lightly browned on the bottom, about 12 minutes. Cool completely, about 20 minutes, before serving.

To make ahead

Refrigerate dough (Steps 1-2) overnight.

Equipment

Parchment paper; 3-inch round cookie cutter

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, February 2023

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

113 Calories
4g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 36
Serving Size 1 cookie
Calories 113
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 7g
Added Sugars 6g 12%
Protein 2g 4%
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Vitamin A 139IU 3%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Vitamin D 2IU 1%
Folate 20mcg 5%
Vitamin K 1mcg 1%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Magnesium 3mg 1%
Potassium 29mg 1%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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