The  Jewish holiday of Purim just so happens to fall on the evening of February 23rd this year. What’s Purim you ask? Well, here’s the short and sweet definition. The one day celebration marks the deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction plotted by a man named Haman.

One of the traditions of the holiday is to make and eat triangle-shaped cookies called hamantaschen. The Yiddish word hamantaschen translates into “Haman’s pockets”. Some say the triangle-shaped cookies represent the three-cornered hat Haman wore. In any case, these tasty treats are eaten on Purim and are a sweet tradition. Hamantaschen are traditionally filled with jams, cheese or poppy seeds, but I thought I’d try making a different variety with a mixture of pecans, brown sugar, apple butter and cinnamon.

Check out the recipe and step by step photos below!

Have you ever made or tried one of these tasty cookies?

Coffee Cake Hamantaschen 
Recipe adapted from Foodista

Makes about 30 cookies

Dough:

3 eggs
1 egg beaten, for brushing the cookies before baking
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup orange juice
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Filling:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons apple butter

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two or three baking sheets with non-stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until combined.
4. Stir in the vegetable oil, vanilla and orange juice.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.  Slowly stir into the batter to form a dough.
6. On a floured surface, roll dough out to about 1/4 inch in thickness.
7. Cut into circles using the rim of a drinking glass. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
8. For the filling, mix together the packed brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans, melted butter and apple butter.
9. Spoon about a teaspoon of the coffee cake filling into the center of each one cookie.
10. Beat one egg in a separate bowl Dip fingers in egg and pinch the edges to forma triangle.
11. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in oven, or until golden brown.
12. Garnish with some sprinkled cinnamon.