Haman's Ears (Humen Taschen)

Few cookies are as tied to a holiday as hamantaschen, the three-cornered treats baked every Jewish Purim and said to resemble the villain Haman’s hat, or, less politely, his ears.

This version fills them with a homemade honey-nut paste: minced nuts cooked with honey until thick and sticky, then perfumed with fresh lemon peel for brightness.

The dough is enriched and tender, with eggs, sugar, oil, and a splash of rum, rested briefly before rolling thin.

The shaping is the signature: you cut rounds, spoon filling into the center, then fold up three sides into that classic triangle, pinching the corners to hold.

A brush of egg yolk near the end of baking gives them a glossy, golden finish.

They’re a labor of love for the holiday table, but the honey-nut filling and tender cookie make them worth the folding.

Kitchen Tips

• Pinch the corners firmly and don’t overfill; too much filling and the triangles burst open as they bake.
• Rest the dough before rolling, as the recipe says, so it relaxes and rolls thin without snapping back.
• Brush on the egg-yolk glaze only in the last few minutes so it sets golden without scorching.

Variations

• Fill with classic poppy seed (mohn) or a thick prune or apricot lekvar instead of nuts.
• Use chopped walnuts, pecans, or a mix for the filling.
• Add a little cinnamon or orange zest to the honey-nut filling.