Colorful Hamantaschen Cookies

Colorful Hamantaschen Cookies Recipe | Fun & Festive Purim Treats

by

Hamantaschen Cookies are a fun and vibrant twist on the traditional Purim treat. With brightly colored dough and a variety of flavorful fillings, they add an extra festive touch to your holiday celebrations. This recipe combines a simple cookie dough with food coloring to create pink, yellow, and green Hamantaschen, filled with delicious fruit preserves or any filling of your choice. Perfect for baking with kids or making a colorful addition to your Purim table.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Food coloring (pink, yellow, and green)

For the Fillings:

  • Fruit preserves (strawberry for pink, apricot for yellow, and lime or kiwi for green)
  • Poppy seed filling, chocolate spread, or any other favorite fillings

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:

  1. Mix the dry ingredients:
    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Add butter:
    Add the softened butter and mix until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Combine eggs and vanilla:
    In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.
  4. Divide and color the dough:
    Divide the dough into three equal portions. Knead a few drops of pink food coloring into one, yellow food coloring into another, and green food coloring into the last portion, until the colors are uniformly blended.
  5. Chill the dough:
    Wrap each dough portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.

Shape the Hamantaschen:

  1. Preheat the oven:
    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Roll out the dough:
    On a lightly floured surface, roll out each colored dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.
  3. Cut out circles:
    Use a round cookie cutter or a glass (about 3 inches in diameter) to cut out circles from the rolled dough.
  4. Fill the circles:
    Place a teaspoon of your desired filling (fruit preserves, poppy seed filling, or chocolate spread) in the center of each dough circle.

Form the Triangles:

  1. Shape the hamantaschen:
    Pinch the edges of the dough circles together at three points to form triangles, leaving the center of the filling visible.
  2. Arrange on the baking sheet:
    Place the formed hamantaschen on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.

Bake the Cookies:

  1. Bake:
    Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  2. Cool:
    Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
  3. Serve:
    Arrange the colorful hamantaschen on a serving platter and enjoy these delightful Purim treats!

Notes

  • Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • Customization: Use different food colorings to create even more vibrant combinations, or experiment with various fillings such as Nutella, jam, or dulce de leche.
  • Make Ahead: You can prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before shaping and baking.
  • Pro Tip: If the dough feels sticky, dust the rolling surface with a bit of flour to make it easier to handle.

These Colorful Hamantaschen Cookies are not only delicious but also a fun and creative way to celebrate Purim with a splash of color! Whether you fill them with fruity preserves or go for rich chocolate, these cookies will brighten any dessert table.