These Hamantaschen pie crust cookies are incredibly easy to make. The perfect little treat to make with leftover pie crust dough, or skip the pie and use that pie crust to make these. I usually just call them pie crust cookies or jelly tarts.
They are flaky and sweet, and there are lots of variations you can make and perfect year-round or for the holiday season like Thanksgiving, Purim, or Christmas. If you love cookies, give this super easy recipe a try!
What are Hamantaschen?
Hamantaschen are triangular cookies, pastries, or tarts filled with jelly, jams, preserves, etc. They look like a little hat. These little treats are associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim. Originally they were made with a yeast-based dough, but have since been made with some sort of cookie or pastry dough. A traditional hamantasch is not made with pie crust, but the dough is very similar. So this is not a traditional recipe. I repeat, it is NOT a traditional recipe, haha.
Step 1: Ingredients and Equipment
In order to make these incredibly easy hamantachen pie crust cookies you will need the following simple ingredients:
- Pie crust – Use a store-bought pie crust or use this awesome homemade pie crust recipe. I generally just use my leftover pie crust scraps after making a pie, but sometimes, I use the pie crust entirely for these!
- Jelly – Use your favorite kind of jelly, favorite jam, or preserves. My favorite is strawberry, but plum, apricot, raspberry, or blackberry works great too.
- Cinnamon and sugar – I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on the cookies before baking to add a bit more flavor to the pastry.
- Egg
- Water
Tools and Equipment
- Sheet pan, cookie sheet, pie pan, or other type of baking sheet
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Basting brush or pastry brush
- Spatula
- 3-inch round cookie cutter or use the rim of a glass
- Rolling pin
Step 2: How to make Hamantaschen cookies at home with pie crust
If you want to make your own pie crust from scratch do that first, then chill it for about 30 minutes in the fridge. I really like this homemade pie crust recipe.
Or if you are using storebought from the grocery store that is totally fine, and perfect for a very quick version of these.
I usually just make a few of these with my leftover pie crust scraps or any time I have extra pie dough. But honestly, sometimes I like using the whole traditional pie crust to make these. Because they are super good and it is so fast.
Preheat the oven to 375F/192 C. With the main rack in the middle position.
Roll out the pie crust with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. It should be about 1/8th of an inch thick. If you buy a store-bought one, it will already be the right thickness.
Then cut out several circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. You can also use the rim of a glass.
Gather up the leftover scraps and then put them together and roll them out again, etc.
Step 3: Add the jelly and fold or pinch the Hamantaschen
Place the round pieces of dough on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you don’t have one of those you can use a pie pan.
Add a dollop (about 1 tsp) worth of jelly, jam, or preserves to the center. Don’t add too much at first, you can always add a little bit extra if you want. I love using strawberry preserves, but any flavor will work. Apricot, apple, raspberry, etc., are all great options.
There are two ways to encase the jelly. You can do the folding technique or the pinching technique.
First, prepare the egg wash. Just whisk an egg with a little bit of water in a small bowl.
Folding Technique
Fold one edge to the center. Then fold another on top of that, then the final edge. It will make a little pouch that looks like a “hat.”
Pinch Technique
Baste egg wash all around the jelly. Then bring the edges together and pinch them. It creates a little different look but also encases the jelly. You can do it either way.
Step 4: Baste, Sprinkle, and Bake those easy pie crust cookies
Now baste the tops of the cookies with the egg wash, and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. I just take 1/2 cup of sugar then add a few teaspoons of cinnamon to it and keep it in a shaker. I like to always have this on hand which I use on a variety of treats and pastries.
NOTE: You can also use melted butter if you don’t want to use an egg wash.
NOTE: The egg wash and cinnamon sugar mixture are optional, you can leave them off if you like. I find it gives more flavor to the pie crust.
Place the unbaked homemade hamantaschen on the middle rack in your oven and bake for 10 to 18 minutes until lightly golden brown. In my oven, it takes right around 16 minutes. It’s okay if a bit of jelly oozes out. When that cooks it kind of turns into candy, which tastes awesome.
Allow the hamantaschen cookies to cool for a few minutes after they are done baking, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
You can eat the little cookies warm, just be careful because that jelly center will be extremely hot when they first come out of the oven.
Enjoy!
How long do homemade hamantaschen pie crust cookies last?
The hamantaschen can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature or in the fridge for about 5 days. These easy cookies never last that long when I make them, and I live by myself, haha.
Can I make the refrigerated pie crust ahead of time?
Of course! You can make the dough ahead of time, just like when making a pie. Keep it wrapped in plastic wrap and in the fridge until ready to use.
Here are some other recipes you may like:
Hamantaschen Pie Crust Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet pan or cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Basting brush
- Spatula
- 3-inch round cookie cutter use metal of plastic or the rim of a glass
Ingredients
- 1 Pie crust – Homemade or storebought
- 1 tsp of jelly per cookie – You can use jam preserves, etc. Any kind that you want.
- Cinnamon and sugar – optional
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of water
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust first and cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes in the fridge. Or if using a storebought crust skip this step.
- Preheat the oven to 375F/192 C.
- Add a little flour to your surface and roll out the pie crust it should be about 1/8th of an inch thick. If you buy a storebought one, it will already be the right thickness.
- Then cut out several circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. You can also use the rim of a glass. Gather up the scraps and then put them together and roll them out again, etc.
- Place the round pieces of dough on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Add a dollop (about 1 tsp) worth of jelly, jam, or preserves to the center of each one.
- Prepare the egg wash. Whisk 1 egg with about 1 tbsp or so of water.
Folding Technique
- Fold one edge to the center. Then fold another on top of that, then the final edge. It will make a little pouch that looks like a "hat."
Pinching Technique
- Baste egg wash all around the jelly. Then bring the edges together and pinch them. It creates a little different look but also encases the jelly. You can do it either way.
Bake the Hamantaschen
- Now baste the tops of the cookies with the egg wash, and then sprinkle on some cinnamon and sugar if you like.
- Place on the middle rack in your oven and bake for 10 to 18 minutes until lightly golden brown. In my oven, it takes right around 16 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. You can eat them warm, just be careful because that jelly center will be extremely hot when they first come out of the oven. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Do you like this easy pie crust cookie recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. Save the Pin to Pinterest! If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
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I used the egg wash but most of my cookies didn’t stay pinched closed. I’m thinking I probably should have refrigerated them before baking since I was using an all butter pie crust.😕
Hi there, Jenny! That is possible, or maybe they weren’t pinched together well enough?
Why do mine keep opening when cooking? I’ve tried everything to keep them closed. Any tips?
Did you try egg wash that can help keep them “glued” together.
This works really well — but Jewish people might want to know (or you would if you’re making these for Jewish friends) that the rollout pie crusts contain lard, which is from a pig and therefore can’t be eaten by Jews who keep kosher. So if you’re making these for Purim, make your own dough.
Hi there, thank you! Good point! When in doubt look at the packaging, it should say if it contains lard or not. The really common pie crusts in the States by Pillsbury do contain lard. So if that is all you can find better to make your own with butter or shortening.
These are a great treat! I appreciate the tip on using leftover pie crust, I love repurposing food like that. I wonder if it’s possible to add chopped nuts to these cookies too?
Thank you!! Yes you certainly could add chopped nuts if you wanted to. 🙂
this is super easy and very delicious! thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you! You are very welcome!
These are really perfect cookies!! It quickly disappeared at my house! Can’t wait to maker it again!
Thank you!!