Every year, around my birthday, is a Jewish holiday called Purim. It’s basically the Jewish version of St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween all mashed up together – you dress up in costumes and drink a lot! You also traditionally eat cookies called Hamantaschen, that resembles Haman’s (the bad guy in the story’s) 3-cornered hat! They are doughy cookies filled with jam (or other fillings).

I’ve had these cookies every year of my life, and probably made them in Hebrew school, but this was the first year I made them for real, at home, by myself! (Well, I had a great helper…. my toddler!)

I am a fast & easy type of cook, and these took a bit longer than I’m used to since you have to cut them in circles, fill them and fold them to create triangles (as opposed to say, making brownies where you mix stuff and pour in a pan!). I have to say, even if it was a little more involved then I usually go for, it was still easy and very fun to do with kids!

Here’s my version!

Let me know what you think below.

Enjoy and Happy Purim!

Gluten-Free, Vegan Hamantaschen

Makes about 12 cookies

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1½ cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup organic maple syrup (organic agave or coconut nectar would work as well)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp organic orange zest
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt

Filling:

• 1 cup no-sugar-added fruit jam (I used Apricot and Raspberry Fiordifrutta organic fruit spread)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients in a second bowl
4. Add the wet to the dry, and mix thoroughly
5. Thinly roll the dough onto a floured counter or cookie sheet. (⅛” thick or less)
6. Cut the dough into circles using the rim of a glass or a 3″ cookie cutter
7. Put 1 tsp of filling in the center of each cookie, and fold up the sides, pinching along the edges.
   *Note: you should still be able to see the filling, it’s not a dumpling!
8. Bake 9-11 minutes, until golden along the edges
9. Enjoy!