Hamantaschen for Purim

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Getty ImagesRecipe developer Melissa Roberts tells the story of Purim and shares her hamantaschen recipe.

The Jewish holiday of Purim centers around the dramatic story of a powerful king (Ahasuerus, the King of Persia), a beautiful and courageous heroine (Esther, his queen), a loyal uncle (Mordecai) and a villain (Haman) who, in a twist of irony, falls victim to his own wicked plot. Like Hanukkah, Purim celebrates the Jews' triumph over oppression. And as with Hanukkah, it's a joyful holiday that epitomizes the phrase, "eat, drink and be merry." Hamantaschen, triangular-shaped sugar cookies, are traditionally eaten during Purim. The name means "Haman's hat", and the cookie's shape represents the three-cornered hat supposedly worn by the evil Haman.

Hamantaschen have an exposed filled center and the fillings vary wildly. Prune and poppy seed fillings are Old World favorites. Fruit fillings are also popular. Almost any kind of preserve -- cherry, raspberry, strawberry, apricot – will work. Because my boys adore chocolate, I usually bake some with Nutella (always a hit). The hamantaschen from my childhood weren't crisp and crunchy, but soft, almost cakelike, and a bit on the zaftig side. The recipe below, with hints of lemon and vanilla, reflects this taste memory. And when it comes to hamantaschen fillings, well, I adore them all. But if I had to choose just one, it would be prune.

Get the Hamantaschen recipe.