Hamentaschen: A Cookie Everyone Should Know and Love

Photo by Annie B. Copps

Photo by Annie B. Copps

Some people wait for asparagus or fiddlehead ferns as a sign of spring. For me, it’s hamentaschen.

“Hamen” what?

I was in my 30’s when I got my first taste of hamentaschen cookies from Zingerman’s Bakehouse, the sweet arm of Ann Arbor’s famous Zingerman’s Deli, so I’d lived three decades missing out on one of the all-time-great cookies. They’re in league with the chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, peanut butter and—for some of you—oatmeal raisin. I couldn’t figure out how I’d missed these light, yet rich and buttery cookies shaped in triangles and filled with sweet jam, until I learned their story. Traditionally, they only come out of the oven during the Jewish holiday of Purim (this year March 9th and 10th), a very short window.

Purim celebrates Queen Ester’s intervention against the evil Haman and most people agree the triangular shape represents Haman’s tricornered hat. But there are, of course, other stories about their etymology.

Depending on whom you ask, hamentaschen can be made with butter or margarine (margarine if you prefer pareve); it can also be a yeasted dough; and the fillings can range from traditional poppy seeds, prunes or apricots, to all flavors of jam or chocolate or—gasp—Nutella. Baking these cookies is a delicious and fun exercise and you don’t have to wait until Purim to make them—use my recipe below and get creative with the filling! 

If you can’t get to the mixer but want to try some professionally-made hamentaschen this season, they are available now at many bakeries across Greater Boston:

Blacker’s Bake Shop
Available through March 13. Fillings include apple, apricot, raspberry, poppy, prune, chocolate and lemon. dairy-free and nut-free.
543 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton
617.332.2008
blackersbakeshop.com

INNa’s kitchen culinaria
next door to blackers; gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free! traditional apricot, poppy, prune and chocolate fillings; they also deliver within 45 miles of their newton location.
574 commonwealth avenue, newton
617.795.2626
innaskitchen.com

Cheryl Ann’s Bakery
Available year round in nine or more fillings.
1010 W Roxbury Parkway, Chestnut Hill
617.469.9241
cherylannsbakery.com

Clear Flour Bakery
Available through March 10 with fillings of poppyseed, apricot jam, chocolate, cherry cream cheese and plum-walnut.
178 Thorndike Street, Brookline
617.739.0060
clearflourbread.com

Elmendorf
Their yeasted dough is a family recipe and available while supplies last. Fillings include prune, date, tart cherry and Blenheim apricot.
594 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
617.945.0045
elmendorfbaking.com

Galit’s Treats
Available in five flavors including halvah & pecan and espresso through March 10.
749 Beacon Street, Newton
617.244.2411
bestchallah.wixsite.com/galitstreatscafbaker

 
Tatte Bakery & Cafe
Available at all locations in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline through March 10, made from Israeli poppyseed, strawberry and chocolate. 
tattebakery.com


ANNIE’S HAMENTASCHEN RECIPE: