Gluten Free Vegan Hamantaschen
2 chia “eggs” (directions below)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 1/4 cups GF flour blend (I used king arthur)
1 to 5 tsp water (if needed)
Nonstick cooking oil spray
Thick filling of choice. I did multiple versions, one of which was a thick berry jam and also a savory version that a mixture of pumpkin puree, curry powder and salt!
2 baking sheets, a rolling pin, a cutting board (or other flat service).
To make your chia eggs, take 2 tbsp of chia seeds and grind them in a food processor or coffee grinder (which is what I used). Add 6 tbsp of water and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, preferably more till it forms a thick gel that is similar to an egg!
Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees
Melt your coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the chia “eggs”, sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix together the GF flour, baking powder, xanthum gum and salt.
Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet, using a large wooden spoon or sturdy fork until combined into a smooth dough.
Add a little water if necessary.
Stick bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes (not longer!) to make it easier to handle.
Lightly flour a smooth, clean surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4 -1/8 of an inch thick, just make sure that the dough is still thick enough to hold the filling and its shape!
Lightly flour the rolling pin or dough occasionally to prevent sticking, if necessary.
Use a 3-inch rim of a glass or cookie cutter (no smaller!) to cut circles out of the dough, cutting as many as you can.
Gather the scraps and roll them out again. Cut circles. Repeat process until all the dough is gone.
Place a teaspoon of filling (whichever filling you choose) into the center of each circle. If you use too much filling, you run the risk of your hamantaschen opening and filling spilling out during baking.
To assemble the hamantaschen, grasp the left side of the circle and fold it towards the center to make a flap that covers the left third of the circle.
Grasp the right side of the circle and fold it towards the center, overlapping the upper part of the left side flap to create a triangular tip at the top of the circle. A small triangle of filling should still be visible in the center.
Grasp the bottom part of the circle and fold it upward to create a third flap and complete the triangle.
Pinch each corner of the triangle gently but firmly to secure the shape and hold the filling in. Repeat.
When all of your hamantaschen have been filled, place them evenly on a lightly greased baking sheet. They shouldn't expand much during baking, so your gap doesn’t need to be big in between cookies.
Let them bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, till the cookies are cooked through and lightly golden.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Store them in a tightly sealed plastic bag or Tupperware.
For me, this made 1 cookie sheet’s worth of pretty thick cookies (About 15) . If I had been more comfortable making them thinner, it might have needed 2 sheets.
