Hamantaschen

Makes: About 2 dozen

Time: About 45 minutes, plus time to chill

Traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Purim, these have a distinctive triangular shape that gives you extra-crisp shortbread corners with a soft, filled center. The orange zest and juice in the dough are traditional, adding a little extra tart sweetness against the jam; see the variations for other ideas. You can make these pareve by substituting ½ cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, for the butter, although the texture won’t be quite as delicate.

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar; add the orange zest, juice, and egg and beat until well blended.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

3. Heat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ⅛- to ¼ inch thick, flouring and rotating the dough as needed to keep it from sticking. Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut it into 3-inch circles. Gather any scraps into a disc, wrap, and chill once again before re-rolling and cutting.

4. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam or marmalade into the center of each round and fold up the edges to form triangles (see illustrations, below). Pinch the corners to seal. Bake on ungreased baking sheets until the cookies are lightly brown on the edges, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to racks to finish cooling. Store these in an airtight container for a day or two.

POPPY SEED HAMANTASCHEN Poppy seeds’ earthy, slightly bitter, and nutty flavor goes so well with the shortbread: Grind ½ cup poppy seeds and combine them in a saucepan with ½ cup each honey and milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, and cook until the mixture reduces and is thick. Remove from heat and stir in another tablespoon of orange zest. Cool completely before using.

KEY LIME HAMANTASCHEN Use lime zest and juice instead of orange; shape and bake the cookies without any filling. Once they have completely cooled, pipe or spoon 1 teaspoon Lime Curd into the center.

Shaping Hamantaschen

STEP 1

Spoon jam into the center of each cookie.

STEP 2

Fold up the edges on three sides.

STEP 3

Pinch the corners to seal.

Cookies for Any Occasion or Season

You may not think of cookies as seasonal food, but indeed different times of year are marked by their cookies. Whether you’re eating warm spices in fall, making holiday gifts in winter, or celebrating warm weather produce, here are some cookies to help you enjoy the season.

Spring

COOKIE: Hamantaschen, for the Jewish holiday Purim; Lemon Thins for something sunny and light

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Fruit Jam or Orange Marmalade

Spring or Summer

COOKIE: Pavlova, to highlight peak-season produce

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Raw, perfectly ripe soft fruit, like berries, peaches, apricots, plums, or cherries; Whipped Cream; Vanilla Pastry Cream; Lemon Curd

Summer

COOKIE: Strawberry-Lemon Blondies, to eat on the front porch

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Whipped Cream, Lemon Curd, Lemon Glaze, Jam Glaze, Fruit Jam

Summer

COOKIE: Zucchini Cookies, to use that bumper crop

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Lemon Glaze, raw Fruit Sauce, Lemon Curd, Fruit Jam

Fall

COOKIE: Pumpkin Cookies or Pumpkin Bars, in keeping with pumpkin-spiced everything

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Cream Cheese Frosting, Caramel Sauce, Butterscotch Sauce, Apple Butter

Fall or Winter

COOKIE: Gingersnaps, Gingerbread Men, Pfeffernüsse, or Speculaas—warm spices for cold days

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Royal Icing, Hard Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Butterscotch Sauce, Dulce de Leche

Winter

COOKIE: Rolled Sugar Cookies or Gingerbread Men, the perfect all-purpose gift

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Lemon Glaze, Jam Glaze, any frosting, Royal Icing, Chocolate Ganache, Lemon Curd, Fruit Jam

Winter

COOKIE: Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies, Flourless Chocolate Almond cookies, Linzer Cookies, Almond Biscotti, Pignoli Cookies, French Macarons, Madeleines, or Florentines, for the cookie swaps

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: No need for garnish, although these make a memorable gift along with a jar of Roasted Nut Butter, Fruit Jam, or Caramel Sauce

Winter

COOKIE: Chocolate-Covered Mint Cookies, for dunking into hot chocolate

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Fancy as is

Winter

COOKIE: Fruitcake Bars, for not-too-sweet snacking or cross-country care packages

HOW TO DRESS IT UP: Hard Sauce, Butterscotch Sauce, Crème Anglaise, or Fruit Jam