Apricot Hamantaschen
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These hamantaschen, or hat-shaped Purim cookies, are like glistening little fruit pies in cookie form.
With a buttery shortbread crust folded over a dollop of jam, these apricot hamantaschen, or hat-shaped Purim cookies, are like glistening little fruit pies in cookie form. Feel free to play with the filling—any thick jam, or even Nutella, will work well. If you’re a chocolate lover or catering to those who are, these chocolate hamantaschen have a brownie-like filling that will deliciously hit the chocolate spot.
“I made these for the third year in a row. They’re delicious… so much more delicate than the heavy hamantaschen you get in most bakeries.”
What You’ll Need To Make Apricot Hamantaschen
- Confectioners’ Sugar:Â Sweetens the dough and creates a tender texture.
- All-Purpose Flour:Â Provides the structure for the hamataschen. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Butter:Â Adds richness and a flaky texture to the dough.
- Egg Yolks:Â Contribute to the dough’s richness and help bind the ingredients together.
- Apricot Jam:Â Fills the cookies with a sweet, fruity flavor. If you’ve got a favorite flavor, any thick jam will work here.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by placing the sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse to combine.
Add the cold butter cubes.
Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the egg yolk and pulse until evenly crumbly and pale yellow in color.
Add a bit of cold water and pulse until the dough clumps together.
Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
Knead it gently into a smooth ball, then divide in half and form into two 6-inch discs.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, then roll it about 1/8-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out 3-inch circles.
Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets and lightly brush with the egg wash. This is the key to getting the corners to stick together.
Dot each cookie one with a teaspoon of apricot jam. Do not overfill, or the jam will leak out while baking.
Fold in the sides, slightly overlapping the filling, to form a triangle so that each side has a corner that folds over and a corner that folds under — this creates a pattern that looks pretty (but don’t fuss too much over it). Pinch the corners together so that they form a point — this will keep them from separating while baking.
You can see more closely here.
Refrigerate the cookies on the pans for about 20 minutes, then bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Enjoy!
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Apricot Hamantaschen
These hamantaschen, or hat-shaped Purim cookies, are like glistening little fruit pies in cookie form.
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife, plus more for rolling the dough
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, very cold
- 3 large egg yolks, divided
- 1-2 tablespoons ice cold water
- ¾ cup apricot jam, best quality such as Bonne Maman
Instructions
- Combine the confectioners' sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process for 10-15 seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 of the egg yolks and pulse a few times, until the mixture is crumbly and pale yellow. Add 1 tablespoon of the water and pulse just until the dough starts to clump together. If the mixture seems dry, add the remaining tablespoon of water and pulse again. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times into a smooth ball. Divide in half and pat into two 6-inch discs; wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, make an egg wash by mixing the remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Working with one disc of dough at a time, roll to ⅛-inch thick, turning and dusting with more flour as necessary so it doesn't stick. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut out 3-inch circles and place about ½-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll and re-cut any excess dough. Brush the dough very lightly with the egg wash. Place a level teaspoon of apricot jam on the center of each cookie (do not overfill). Fold in the sides, slightly overlapping the filling, to form a triangle so that each side of the cookie has a corner that folds over and a corner that folds under -- this creates a pattern that looks pretty (but don't fuss too much over it). Pinch the corners together neatly so that they form a point. Slide the pans into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning the pans halfway through baking, until the cookies are lightly golden on top and just starting to brown in the corners. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Shape the dough into 2 discs, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and place them in a sealable bag. When ready to bake, remove the disks from the freezer, thaw the dough for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, and then proceed with recipe. To Freeze After Baking: Let the hamantaschen cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (30 servings)
- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 128
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Sodium: 63mg
- Cholesterol: 35mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jen,
Could this dough be made without eggs, like galette dough?
Thank you,
Mirit
Hi Mirit, I think the dough will be dry without the egg yolks – sorry!
Wonderful recipe! These are really delicious. And the dough is super easy to work with. There was no anxiety or cursing as I was rolling it out –it worked like a dream! I made half with raspberry jam and half with apricot jam. My family loves them. This recipe is a keeper…it’ll be coming out every Purim. Thanks for another winner!
Can I make this in a kitchenAid mixer too? I don’t have a food processor…
Hi Katherine, I think it’s possible, but the texture may be slightly different; perhaps a little less crisp. Also, I would recommend softening the butter a bit before combining it with the sugar and flour. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, thank you for making me look like a great baker. I’m so grateful I found your website. Happy Purim!
Happy Purim to you! (And glad you’re enjoying the recipes :).
Hello,
Are these hamentaschen more moist and cakelike or crunchy? I have never made cookies with the food processor or used confectioners sugar (only granulated and/or brown sugar) when baking cookies, so I’m curious about what to expect in the finished product.
Thank you!
Hi Lisha, they’ve got a texture similar to shortbread– they’re not overly crunchy, but more crunchy than cake-like. Hope you enjoy!
These are adorable and I love the name. Have you tried razpberry?
I haven’t tried these with raspberry, but I’m sure they’d be delicious!
Why is my apricot jam running out from the dough. I only put a teasepoon in each circle.
Hi Leah, Sorry to hear you’re having a problem with the filling! It could be that you aren’t pinching the edges tightly enough (so the jam is “escaping”) or that you haven’t refrigerated the dough for long enough.
The same thing happened to me but I know what I did wrong I forgot to put then in the fridge. Did a second batch and they turned out great. I did them for my daughter’s shower and they were a hit. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi Leah,
Here is the recipe I use for fruit.
1 cup (6 ozs ) of dried apricots roughly chopped (or whole then use my food processor to puree up after it’s cooked).
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
In a microwaveable bowl, combine all the ingredients and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Simmer for 1 minute on high.
Let stand for 10 minutes
Using a food processor combine the fruit mixture purée for 20 seconds.
Set aside until ready to use. Leftover can be frozen.
I usually double the recipe and only use 1/3 cup of sugar. I don’t like it too sweet and apricots, orange juice already have sugar in it.
Thank you for this recipe Jenn. The crust is very tasty. A good friend who is a fantastic baker tasted these cookies and now she wants the recipe. That says a lot and it’s the best kind of compliment. This recipe is a keeper.
The next time I make this cookie, I might try rolling them out just a bit thicker to resemble a more traditional type of Hamantaschen cookie.
Thanks again for sharing.
Happy baking!
Debbie
These tasted almost as good as my great aunt’s recipe that I never got a copy of before she passed away. She always made apricot ones just for me…
I love your recipies Jenn! Thank you for all of the time and effort you have put in to your website in order to share your talent & expertise! These cookies look delicious! I was wondering how long these would stay fresh after baking and your recommended storage? I would like to make them for a New Years Day brunch but would need to make them several days in advance as I am hosting a New Years Eve party and need to be able to make something I can make in advance. Thanks!
Hi Linda, I think they would stay fresh in an airtight container on your counter for 2 – 3 days. I think you could also get away with fully making and freezing these. (And glad you like the recipes :))!
Hi Jenn,
Made these last Thursday and stored them under my cake dome. They are still wonderful. Since I made 3 dozen, I baked 1 dozen and froze 2 dozen. Will bake for my party in 3 weeks.
I have had very good results freezing your pastries ( apricot and chocolate hamantaschen).
Thanks again
Good to know, Monina – I am working on a really good chocolate rugelach. Stay tuned…
Going to try with fig preserves i got at big lots store
Delicious! The shortbread was yummy enough that I baked some by itself. Only thing I changed was to make the dough in two batches beginning with the egg yolk adding stage; it was too much for my food processor.