s’mores hamantaschen are my latest mash-up!
S’mores hamantaschen? Oh these were GOOD.
what are s’mores hamantaschen?
It’s March and that means Purim is coming – which, in our house means hamantaschen! Hamantaschen are a triangle-shaped cookie typically served during the Jewish holiday Purim – and was one of the first posts I shared here. I kept things classic back then, using a basic cream cheese dough and old-school fruit filling. But you long-time readers know that I love nothing more than a good mash-up (hot chocolate popsicles? buffalo chicken pizza? apple pie muddy buddies? I could go on and on….), and hamantaschen is one of my favorite recipes to tweak.
I actually did a s’mores hamantaschen for another site many years ago, but I was never happy with it and wanted to revisit at some point. And the time was now!
Just like any good mash-up, I want to make sure that all of the original components come through (see: peanut butter and jelly, lemon meringue and crumb cake hamantaschen). So for this s’mores version the goal was for each bite to have good graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate flavor.
And that’s where the fun comes in, because there are so many ways to go, between the dough, the filling and any toppings you want to add. For the graham crackers I replaced half the flour in the dough with finely ground graham cracker crumbs. This created a beautiful tan dough that tasted just like a graham cracker in cookie form.
I put a few mini marshmallows in the center, which puffed up and then collapsed during baking, resulting in a perfectly gooey filling. But you can’t have a proper s’mores without charred marshmallows so I topped the cookies with a few more minis when they came out of the oven, and gave them a once over with my kitchen torch.
The chocolate part was easy – I dunked the bottoms in melted chocolate and then drizzled the tops for good measure!
ingredients you’ll need to make s’mores hamantaschen!
unsalted butter
cream cheese
brown sugar
eggs
vanilla extract
graham crackers
flour
kosher salt
mini marshmallows
chocolate chips
my best tips for perfect hamantaschen!
If you’ve ever made hamantaschen you know that they can be notoriously tricky. The cookies don’t stay closed, the filling leaks out, the dough won’t hold its shape – annoying! Fortunately for us I’ve figured some things out, and if you follow these tips I can guarantee perfect hamantaschen every time:
1. Roll the dough to 1/4″ thickness – this will seem too thick but a thinner dough will not hold its shape as well.
2. Use only 1/2 teaspoon of filling per cookie – again, this will seem wrong, like, how can this possibly be enough? Here’s the thing: as the cookies bake, the filling expands and pushes out the sides of that dough you’ve so carefully pinched and shaped. The more filling, the more misshapen the finished cookie will be. If you don’t care about the look, and want more filling, you can go up to one teaspoon. But your hamantaschen will likely not be as pretty.
3. Glue those babies SHUT – an egg wash is essential to seal the sides. I always want to skip this step and always regret it when I do.
4. Freeze the hamantaschen before baking – after the egg wash “glue”, stick your tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (and up to overnight). This will ensure that your cookies stay intact once placed in the oven.
frequently asked questions!
can I use graham cracker crumbs instead of graham crackers?
Yes – you’ll need 1 cup for the recipe, plus extra for rolling out the dough as well as sprinkling on the cookies.
can I use marshmallow fluff in place of the mini marshmallows?
While there’s no one who loves fluff more than I do, I would not recommend it for this recipe. Fluff expands a LOT when heated and would likely cause the cookie to open up during baking. Taste wise I’m sure it would be fine, but you’ll have less control over the final shape of the cookie.
what can I use if I don’t have a kitchen torch?
Well get one, obviously! JK – instead of turning the oven off when the cookies come out, turn it up to broil. Add your marshmallows and run the tray under the broiler to char the tops – watching carefully!
I loved the way these turned out – perfect s’mores-y flavor and those charred marshmallows? YES. Let me know if you make ’em!
SHOP THE POST!
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4717862″]
S'mores Hamantaschen
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, divided and at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 9 graham crackers, finely ground in the food processor (you should have a heaping cup)
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- mini marshmallows
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a mixer beat 8 tablespoons of the butter, the cream cheese and the sugar till light and fluffy. Add one of the eggs and the vanilla and beat again. Scrape down the sides. Add 1 cup of the graham cracker crumbs, the flour and salt and beat just till combined.
- Divide the dough into two halves and place each between two sheets of parchment paper (I like to dust the parchment with some of the graham crumbs and sprinkle some on top of the dough at this point, to prevent sticking). Roll each dough to about 1/4″ thickness. Stack the doughs on a baking sheet or cutting board, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to three days.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
- Working with one dough at a time, cut out circles with a drinking glass or round cookie cutter (I used a 2 1/2″ cutter here). Remove the trimmings and set aside. Place the circles on one of the lined baking sheets. Continue rolling and cutting until all of the dough is used up.
- Place 3 marshmallows in the center of each circle and fold the dough into a triangle shape, pinching the corners firmly together. Brush the tops of the cookies with a little of the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the graham cracker crumbs. Place cookies in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.
- Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until golden, 10 – 15 minutes (start checking after 10 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack. Gently push 1 - 3 marshmallows into the center of each cookie (you can pinch the marshmallows to help them fit if needed). Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows, or run them briefly under the broiler. Let cool completely.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate chips and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the top half of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Working with one cookie at a time, dip the bottom into the melted chocolate, shake off the excess and place on your prepared baking sheet. Transfer the remaining melted chocolate to a disposable pastry bag or ziploc bag, snip a tiny opening in the corner and drizzle the tops of the cookies. Place in the fridge to set.
Nutrition
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. As a Rewards Style influencer I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases – at no additional cost to you.
Related posts:
2 Comments
Leave a Comment
Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
How would you store these?
I’d store in an airtight container at room temp. I’ve never frozen this variety but I’m guessing they’d freeze well. Place on a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze till frozen. Then transfer to a ziploc bag or other airtight container and return to the freezer!