Gluten-Free Pareve (Dairy-Free) Hamantaschen

Since this was my first Purim being gluten-free, I searched high and low to find a good recipe for hamantaschen.  They're so fun to make and so characteristic of Purim that even in the middle of midterms I made sure to make them!  My friend Sarah and I worked on these - and they came out great!  The full recipe appears at the bottom of this page.

Here's how they come out - they don't even taste gluten-free!

This was my first time actually buying different gluten-free flours (I used Bob's Red Mill) and I have to say it was definitely worth it.  The dough came out really well and was easy to work with.  You could use whatever gluten-free flour mix you want, if you have a favorite or you find one in the store that looks good, but the combination I used worked very well.

In a medium bowl, combine gluten free flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.  Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat eggs until thick.  Add sugar and beat for one more minute.  Add oil, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat until combine.

Slowly add flour combination to the mixture.  Mix until well combined and dough begins to gather (dough may not be stiff enough to form a ball).

Remove dough from bowl, wrap in wax paper and then in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.  The dough can be kept in the fridge for a few days before baking.

When you're ready to shape and bake the hamantaschen, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, and keep the rest of the dough wrapped in wax paper in the refrigerator until you're ready to work with it, so it doesn't get too soft or sticky.

Place the piece of dough between two sheets of wax paper, and roll out to about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness.

If the dough is sticky, sprinkle lightly with some gluten-free flour.

Using a wide juice glass, press the top of the glass into the flattened dough to cut out circles of dough (about 3-inches wide).  Move the dough circles to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Gather the scraps and re-roll the dough to make more circles, until you are finished with that bit of dough.

 These are the fillings I used:

Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle.

Fold up the sides of the circle to create a triangle.  Make sure to leave an opening at the center so that you can still see the filling!  Pinch the corners together to make sure the filling doesn't leak out.

Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Let the hamantaschen cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.

Transfer the cookies to cool on a wire rack.  That's it!  Beautiful, delicious hamantaschen!

Gluten-Free, Pareve (Dairy-Free) Hamantaschen

(Adapted from Gluten-Free Nosh)

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used: 1-1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1 cup potato starch, 1 cup tapioca flour/starch, 3/4 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup white rice flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fillings (options include chocolate chips, jams/preserves, peanut butter, etc.)

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, combine gluten-free flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2. In mixer, beat eggs on high for 1 minute until thick. Add sugar and beat for 1 more minute.
3. Add oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. Add flour combination slowly to mixture. Mix until well combined and dough begins to gather together (dough may not be stiff enough to form a ball).
5. Remove dough from bowl, wrap in waxed paper and then plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The dough can be stored in refrigerator for a few days before baking.
6. When you’re ready to bake the hamantaschen, preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder refrigerated until needed, so it doesn’t get too soft or sticky. Place the dough between two sheets of waxed paper, and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some gluten-free flour on the work surface and knead it into the dough.
8. Using a wide juice glass, press the top of the glass into the dough to cut out 3-inch circles of dough. Gather scraps and reroll for more circles. Move dough circles to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
9. Put approximately 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold up the sides of the circle to form a triangle. Leave an opening at center of the triangle so you can see the filling. Pinch the corners together to prevent filling from leaking out.
10. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Yield: About 18 to 24 hamantaschen