Hamantaschen Recipe

March 8, 2012

Make this healthy Hamantaschen recipe for Purim. (Photo Credit: Joshua Bousel)

Hamantaschen are delicious triangle-shaped cookies with fruit filling that are traditionally eaten during Purim, a Jewish holiday happening this week. In this recipe, I’ve substituted natural sweeteners, whole grain flour and other better-for-you ingredients to boost flavor and nutrition while eliminating chemicals and other toxins. Enjoy!

Image by Flickr user Joshua Bousel.

Hamantaschen

SERVES

PREP TIME

00 min

COOK TIME

00 min

Ingredients

DOUGH:

¾ cup unsalted organic butter, at room temperature

½ cup organic coconut palm sugar crystals

2 large organic, free-range eggs

1 teaspoon grated organic orange zest

1 tablespoon juice of an organic orange

1 inch of fresh organic vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon 100% pure organic vanilla extract

2½ cups organic spelt flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough

2 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt crystals or Real Salt

APRICOT FILLING:

2 cups dried organic apricots, prunes or dates, unsulphured and unsweetened

1 cup organic golden raisins, unsulphured and unsweetened

2 tablespoons organic, local, raw honey

Grated rind of one organic lemon

Juice of one organic lemon

Directions

DOUGH: In a food processor, combine the sugar and butter and pulse on and off until smooth. Add the egg, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla and continue to pulse on and off until thoroughly combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Process until a ball of dough is formed.

If the dough is still sticky, transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and work in as much flour until it is no longer sticky.

Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap one of the discs and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. With a circle-shaped cutter or a knife, cut into 2 ½ inch circles. Transfer rounds to a baking sheet with a metal spatula. Reroll the scraps and make more rounds.

With a pastry brush or your finger, brush water around the rim of the circle. Add a teaspoon of filling to the center. Bring the dough up around the filling and pinch the edges together in 3 places to form a triangle, making sure the filling is exposed.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until the tips are golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

APRICOT FILLING: Place the apricots in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Drain well.

Add apricots to a food processor and pulse on and off until a slightly rough mixture is formed. Add all other ingredients and pulse on and off for approximately 30 seconds. Do not over process.