As far as hamantashen dough goes, I love to use Susie Fishbein’s sugar cookie recipe with a variety of fillings. This year, I tried something new and it was a real hit with my testers (read: my kids and the seminary girls that we had over.) Try them, I bet you’ll love them too.
Brownie filling for hamantashen
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 112 grams) margarine
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
To a medium, microwave safe bowl, add the margarine and chocolate chips and heat on high power to melt for 1 minute. Stop to check, and stir. Heat in 15 second bursts until chocolate has melted. Allow melted chocolate to cool for 5 minutes.
To a separate bowl, add the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed just until blended, about 1 minute. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed just until combined.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Sugar cookie hamantashen dough
1 cup (8 ounces or 224 grams) margarine, at room temperature
4 cups flour (plus a bit more if dough is sticky)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
Place the softened margarine in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy. Add, egg, orange juice and vanilla. Beat to combine.
Sprinkle in the mixture of dry ingredients and mix until combined. If dough is too sticky to work with add 1/4 cup more flour and mix.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out sugar cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut out circles with a circle cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. Use about 2/3 teaspoon of the brownie filling and fold the circle into a triangle, pinching all 3 corners to seal.
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until set