This dough is not sweet, so you want a sweet filling and a good dusting of confectionary sugar over the top. With a cup of tea or coffee, they're the perfct thing to serve at the end of your Purim meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract OR 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus some zest)
  • Date paste
  • Confectioner’s sugar

Directions

  1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder, oil, salt, and vanilla or lemon.
  2. Pour the boiling water into the bowl and mix with a spoon until the dough comes together in a ball. Set aside to cool.
  3. Once the dough has reached room temperature, see if it feels too sticky or loose to work with. If so, add more flour, a little at a time, until it is workable.
  4. Divide dough into two equal parts.
  5. Lay a sheet of parchment paper out on your counter. Roll out the dough and cut out circles.
  6. Put a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Gently fold the sides and pinch shut tightly. Click here for more detailed instructions for how to roll and fold the dough.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes on 350°F (180°C).
  8. Cool. Dust with confectioners sugar.

Yields: 15-18 hamantaschen