Gluten Free Hamantaschen (Haman’s Hat/Haman’s Pocket, pronounced hah-men-tasch-en) cookies are certainly unique and symbolic at Purim, but are also so good you should add them to your recipe box for any time of year.
These soft, shortbread cookies cradled around your favorite jam are another take on thumbprint cookies … only with some pretty yummy history.
I first learned of these delicious cookies when I was reading one of my reader’s accounts of how heavenly this cookie could be when made with my gfJules Gluten Free Flour!
I began to read more about the history of this cookie and more about Purim – more, that is, than I already knew from my kids’ mini-Bible books including favorite stories like Esther’s. (By the way, go Esther! You’re a rockstar in my book, girl!)
The Hamantaschen cookie’s long history includes yeast incarnations and more cookie-like incarnations, the latter of which sounded more intriguing to me. I mean, what’s not to like about a buttery shortbread cookie with sweet fruit filling?
So, I dove into the history further, read reams of recipes and decided to give this seasonal sweet a try. I love that Purim traditions include sending gifts of food to friends, and of course, a Purim feast! (These cookies would be wonderful for either!)
They are very easy to make with my gfJules Flour, since it provides stretch where other gluten free flours in rolled doughs often do not.
Whether you concoct a homemade poppyseed filling, or just use your favorite preserve, jam, chutney or paste (like quince) — you choose. It is not even necessary to chill this dough before rolling, so it’s quick, too! (EVEN QUICKER: just use my gfJules Gluten Free Cut Out Sugar Cookie Mix!)
Just roll out the dough, cut out with a sharp round cutter (like a biscuit cutter), brush lightly with milk and honey and fill the center with a dollop of your favorite jam or poppyseed filling.
Fold the corners over each other 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 so that they overlap, or alternatively, pinch the edges together well, dabbing the dough with water first to keep them from separating. Some folks prefer one method over the other — see which works best for you!
After the cookies are formed, sprinkle with sugar and bake! In under 10 minutes you’ll have gluten free Hamantaschen cookies you’ll love but hate to have to share!
Search no further for a great way to celebrate this Purim, or just this wintry weekend – take your pick! (And don’t forget to check out my Challah recipe if you are in need of more yummy recipes for Purim!).
And here’s another reader’s experiment with my gfJules Flour versus my gfJules Gluten Free Cut Out Cookie Mix and my gluten free Hamantaschen recipe. I love a good (edible!) experiment!
Ok just one more photo from another reader — they look too good to pass up!
Gluten Free Hamantaschen Cookies
Gluten free Hamantaschen Cookies (also known as Haman's Corners and Hamantash) are a fun way to celebrate Purim, but they're delicious anytime!
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 gfJules Gluten Free Cut Out Sugar Cookie Mix -- follow directions to make dough from mix
OR
- 1/2 cup palm shortening (recommended) or solid coconut oil shortening
- 1/4 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
- 2 large eggs (or Ener-G® gluten free egg replacer works well here)
- 2 Tbs milk of choice
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (405 grams) gfJules® Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. citrus peel or zest (it makes all the difference!)
Filling
- preserves, chutney or jam for filling (I often use Bonne Maman® Preserves)
- or Pistachio Cream or vegan Pistachio Spread (pictured)
Topping
- 1 egg (or 4 Tbs. milk of choice)
- 1 tsp. honey or agave nectar
- 2 tsp. water (omit if using milk in place of egg)
- demerera or coarse sugar (optional)
- shopped pistachios or other nuts (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F (static).
To prepare the dough, cream shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs (or substitute), 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually stir in with the wet mixture until fully incorporated. A smooth dough should be formed at this point – not sticky or dry. If it is crumbly, stir in more milk, one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together easily.
Prepare a clean surface or pastry mat by dusting lightly with gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (don’t use gritty rice flour to roll the dough!). Roll dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness and cut 2 1/2 – 3 inch circles using a sharp round cookie cutter.
Place a teaspoon-sized dollop of filling in the center of each circle. Fillings can include any fruit preserve, jam, chutney or paste, such as quince. They should not, however, be watery.
Brush edges of each circle lightly with water, then fold into one point (use the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 method pictured above), then bring the bottom rim of the circle up to form the bottom of a triangle.
Pinch each of the three corners firmly, brushing again with water if necessary to keep the corners stuck together during baking.
Gently transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Stir these toppings together: egg (or 4 tablespoons milk of choice), honey and water. Brush lightly on tops of each exposed portion of the cookie. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 11 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned. Dust with confectioner’s sugar, if desired. If cookies are very crumbly when eating, they were slightly overcooked.
Yield: approximately 24 cookies
Make these yummy cookies any time you’re in the mood for delicious shortbread cookies and jam!
Pin for later!
Based on 33 Review(s)
i was asked to make mine vegan this year (100 of them!) can i substitue aquafaba for the eggs in this recipe? i don’t have any other egg replacer.
Hi Lia, I’m not sure that aquafaba would be the one I would choose for this recipe. I would either give a commercial gluten free egg replacer like Ener-G a try, or even applesauce. Hopefully one of those will work. Take a look at my article on gluten free egg replacers for reference. Hope that works out!
~jules
This cookie recipe was incredible…it was fun to fill these cookies with different flavors of jam.
So glad you loved it, Sandi!!! I use different flavors too – everyone has a favorite!
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
~jules
I have never heard of these cookies before. They look amazing, I can’t wait to try them! Thanks for giving a vegan option!
Sure thing, Monica!
~jules
I’ve never had Hamantaschen cookies but I would love to try them now that I have this recipe 🙂 Looks so tasty! Love that they’re allergy-friendly
It’s a great recipe for any time of year with your favorite jam. Mmmm so good!!
~jules
I made these today and they were so good! My friends had no idea they were gluten free!
YAY! That’s the desired reaction! Congrats!
~jules
Your hamantaschen look so yummy! I’ve always wanted to try those cookies, I love how they made the story of Esther and Purim come to life in food, it’s pretty neat
This recipe is one to save! I love these cookies and have not even thought about making them gluten free until I saw this, how perfect 🙂
Am anxious to try this cookie recipe.
But… I would very much appreciate having the nutritional facts for it. I am pre-diabetic so will be substituting other sweeteners.
Hi Cindy,
I’m sorry that I don’t have any nutritional information on this recipe yet. I’m hoping to add a nutritional calculator soon! You should be able to take the ingredients and post them to an on-line calculator that will provide what you need. Since there’s not a lot of sugar in the dough, I think you could also have success with sugar substitutes like Just Like Sugar or Swerve. And for the jam, use natural, unsweetened preserves. I hope that helps you to enjoy these cookies soon!
~jules
Looking for a gf recipe for Mandel Breit. Tried my recipe subbing GF cake meal, but it was a fail. Is your flour kosher for Passover?
Hi Susan, my flour is certified Kosher by OU but it is not certified kosher for Passover; that being said, it does not contain wheat, oats, rye, barley or spelt. I have readers who have used my flour for Mandel Bread and said it worked beautifully, so don’t give up hope on the recipe working with the right GF flour! Here’s a similar recipe you can review to get the idea of how it would turn out with my flour blend.
~jules
Love this recipe! I used the coconut oil and butter, as well as fresh orange zest, and they turned out great. I definitely needed to add some milk to the mix, but that did the trick as promised. I used the 3 inch circles (which was great). Don’t be afraid to add a little more jam for the bigger circle size. Pinch those corners tight, and you’ll have perfect Hamantaschen. I brushed the glaze on half, and skipped it on the other half. Both were fine! I was so excited to finally get to partake in this part of the Purim celebration, and my kids had a blast making them with me. Thanks!!!
Can you make the dough ahead of time? For example the night before?
Hi Sharonn, you absolutely can. Just make sure it’s wrapped tightly and refrigerated overnight. If using something like coconut oil, it will need to come closer to room temperature before working with it, though. Enjoy!
~jules
I just made these cookies and most of them opened up while baking. I made sure the edges were wet and I pinched the corners real tight. Do you have any ideas why this happened?
Hi Phylis, probably there was too much filling so that when it heated during the bake and expanded, and the cookie rose as well, the edges popped open. Either cut the dough into larger shapes before filling and sealing, or put less filling in the middle next time. And be sure to press more edges together instead of just the very tips. That ought to help, but at least you’ll know that however they look, they’ll taste great!
~jules
Looks good and not complicated! Too bad it didn’t come a week BEFORE Purim !
BTW, what shorting do you use?
Hi Louise, I posted the recipe before Purim, but we didn’t have time go get it out in my newsletter before-hand. I guess you just have to keep checking my blog to see what’s new! 😉 I use Earth Balance Shortening Sticks. Vegan, non-hydrogenated, no transfats. Works great!
~jules
These look great. I will definitely be trying my hand at GF hamentashen this week. Just wondering _ will this yield a cookie type dough or a cakey style dough?
Debra, it definitely seems more cookie-like to me. Enjoy!
Is it possible to make your cookies and crackers just using butter rather than using shortening? I can’t eat shortening or canola/peanut/vegetable oils, etc. Thanks!
Marina – butter has a higher moisture content than does shortening (which has no moisture), so you may need to account for it in recipes if you substitute (add a bit more flour, if you find that the dough is too wet). You could also try coconut oil as a shortening sub — it’s a solid like shortening at room temp. Hope that helps you!
Jules – that helps. Thanks! I will use coconut oil. Its one of the few oils I can eat. Thanks for all you do to bring us gluten free products and recipes!
If we have took add the xanthan gum how much should we add?
In this recipe, if you are not using my flour (which already includes xanthan gum), add around 1 tsp. xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour.
thanks for the recipe
I have King Arthur gluten free all purpose flour. will that work as well? do I have to add zanthan gun?
Hi Bee – I don’t know exactly what’s in that flour blend, but you could give it a try. If it doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, you will need to add that, as my flour blend contains xanthan gum. Hope it works with that flour!