The Easiest Hamantaschen Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 2

With an electric hand mixer, combine cake mix, flour, oil, eggs and water until blended. Gather up the crumbly dough in your hands and form into a ball. Using a pastry cutter, cut the ball into four sections.

Step 3

On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out one of the sections ⅛” thick. Cut into 2½-3” rounds using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. For fluted edges, use a biscuit cutter.

Step 4

In the center of each circle, place 1 tsp filling. Cover the unfilled rounds with a damp dish towel to prevent the dough from drying out.

Step 5

To shape, take the left side of the circle and fold to the right, covering approximately one-third of the circle. Repeat with the right side, folding to the left, making sure that the top of the right-side fold forms a tip roughly resembling the top of a triangle. Take the bottom (which should still have a circular appearance) and bring it upward to produce the third side of the triangle. When you bring the bottom up, fold the newly created flap on the lower left under the left side of the pastry dough, but leave the newly created right side flap to remain over the right side of the triangle. Each side of the triangle should now have one corner that is tucked under and one that is folded over. (Shaping the hamantaschen in this way will prevent any of the sides from opening while in the oven.) Pinch each corner to complete the shaping.

Step 6

Place hamantaschen on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.