Gluten-Free Hamantaschen

Ingredients

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• 2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (about 315 g), plus more for rolling Shop
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (skip if your blend already contains it) Shop
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder Shop
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar Shop
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Shop
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1-2 tbsp orange juice or milk, as needed
• 2/3 cup thick apricot jam or poppy seed filling Shop
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water, for brushing (optional)

Instructions

1. 1 Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. 2 Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla and orange zest.
3. 3 Mix in the dry ingredients on low until the dough clumps. Add orange juice 1 tbsp at a time only if it is too dry to press together. Divide it in half, flatten into discs, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
5. 5 Roll one disc between two sheets of parchment to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut 3-inch rounds and move them to the baking sheets. Reroll the scraps once.
6. 6 Put a level teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Brush the edge with a little water, then fold up three sides to form a triangle and pinch the corners firmly so a small window of filling shows in the middle.
7. 7 Chill the shaped cookies on the sheets for 15 minutes so they hold their shape. Brush the outsides with egg wash if you like.
8. 8 Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the corners are light golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

Tips & Notes

• Use no more than a level teaspoon of filling per hamantaschen. Overfilled cookies push open at the corners in the oven and the jam runs onto the sheet.
• Pinch the three corners hard enough to seal, then chill the shaped hamantaschen for 15 minutes. Cold dough holds the triangle while the butter sets in the oven.
• Choose a thick jam or a cooked poppy seed filling for hamantaschen. Thin jam boils and leaks, so stir a runny jam in a small pan for a few minutes to thicken it, then cool it.

Common questions