Hamantaschen and Shapeable Cookie Dough

This cookie dough hamantaschen is complements of Phyllis, a family friend and favorite Sunday School teacher of our youngest daughter. Modification to make the recipe gluten free by Hallie. Think of this as a filled, soft sugar cookie. This makes a big recipe that could be divided by three for a smaller quantity of cookies.

But, don't stop there! Younger kids can join the fun by making hand-rolled cookies and thumbprint cookies. You can also make dessert empanadas (baked) and something quite passable for jelly-nut kindel (cookie rolled like a strudel).

• Left-to right: jam-filled empanada (use thick preserves), the cookie immediately behind shows the uncut, half-moon shape.
• Second from left: thumbprint cookie cut in half, behind it is the whole cookie - roll a ball, put it on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, press hole in center, fill with thick preserves.
• Third from left: kindel-roll -roll a long oval, put currants down the center, cover with glops of preserve, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, roll up, seal ends by pinching, seal seam by gently pressing, and place on parchment paper.
• Third from right: honey-nut filled empanada - pinch-off dough and roll into a ball, flatten with a rolling pin in to a circle, place cut-up nuts from the center almost to the edge and leaving the other half of dough empty. Drizzle honey over the nuts, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (if you like), fold the empty half-circle over the nuts and honey, seal the edges well, and place on parchment paper. Now with the point of a sharp knife cut three vents into the top as shown.
• Second from the right: maple-glazed cookie: pinch off dough, roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet, and bake. Meanwhile, in a non-stick sauce pan, gently heat maple syrup. As soon as the cookie is baked and while it is still hot, gently place cookies into the simmering maple syrup. Stir with a non-stick spoon for 3 - 5 minutes. Place a cooling rack over a plate and place hot cookie balls on the cooling rack. The plate will catch the drips. Cookies will be yummy-sticky.
• Right: Something like a snicker doodle: pinch off dough and roll into a ball. Hand-flatten to desired thickness. Place on parchment paper, Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Note: this cookie would benefit from nuts on the inside.
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This recipe makes a lot of dough and can be cut in half.

Dough

1. Into the workbowl of a stand mixer, add until blended: Sugar, oil soft margarine
2. Now add until blended: Eggs, Orange juice, 1/2 of the flour, Gums, Baking powder
3. Now add the remainder of the flour and blend
4. If making a full recipe, form 4 balls of dough and wrap in plastic wrap. If making 1/2 recipe, form two balls of dough.
5. Refrigerate six hours or overnight
6. Flour a work surface lightly. Dip hands into flour and pinch off dough to roll into a ball about the size as a walnut.
7. Using as little extra flour as possible, use a wooden rolling pin to roll out dough ball into a circle, approximately 1/8 - 3/16 inch (3 - 4 mm) in thickness.
8. Put approximately 1 teaspoon of filling (see below) in a heap in the center of the circle and using two hands, pinch the edges together to make Haman's three-cornered hat - see picture above. You may want to lightly dampen the seams with water where you press the dough together. The Hamantaschen in the picture were not dampened. There was a minimum amount of flour on the filling side.
9. Place on parchment paper and bake at 350° F for 12 -15 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. The goal is a soft cookie, not one that shatters or crumbles.
10. Note on the flour blend: Hallie used 1 cup of the bread flour in Bread Experiment-7, 2 cups of Carol Fenster's sorghum-corn mix and 1 cup of Bette Hagman's Four flour bean mix. You can use your favorite flour. Rice-based flour mixes will result in a harder cookie.