Freya’s Gluten Free Hamantaschen Recipe uses gluten-free flour to prepare this traditional treat that is loved each Purim. The dough is flavored with fresh orange zest and filled with your choice of jam or marmalade.
Community Recipes is a recurring feature where we share your recipes on the Jewish Food Hero blog. If you want to share a recipe in this series, pitch us your idea here. This series is all about sharing Kosher recipes. We are creating a positive community around food and sharing.
Tell us about yourself, Freya Doughty!
I am a PhD student in international human rights law at Washington University in St. Louis, and a civic engagement researcher. I’m from London, England, and used to live in San Antonio, Texas with my husband and cat. I currently live in western Germany!
I’ve lived all over the south of England, from Bristol to London, and moved to the US in 2019 for my PhD. I’m very happily married to the sweetest Canadian, who is thrilled to try the various things I bake every week.
Find me on Instagram, @freyarhianne !
Tell us about your favorite meal
My favorite meal would have to be tofu pad Thai, followed by a tahini brownie.
What’s on your reading list at the moment?
I love expressing myself creatively to relax – whether that be by printmaking, illustration, or life drawing.
I’m currently reading ‘Jews Don’t Count’ by David Baddiel.
Here is the publisher’s blurb text:
“Jews Don’t Count is a book for people who consider themselves on the right side of history. People fighting the good fight against homophobia, disablism, transphobia and, particularly, racism. People, possibly, like you. It is the comedian and writer David Baddiel’s contention that one type of racism has been left out of this fight. In his unique combination of close reasoning, polemic, personal experience and jokes, Baddiel argues that those who think of themselves as on the right side of history have often ignored the history of anti-Semitism. He outlines why and how, in a time of intensely heightened awareness of minorities, Jews don’t count as a real minority: and why they should.”
Tell us about your passion project – your work, or something you do on the side.
My passion is the intersection of international human rights and environmental law!, which I blog about daily at freyadoughty.com.
I keep abreast of updates in this area, attend conferences, and publish chapters and articles about how we can improve attitudes and laws.
Tell us about your connection with Judaism. How is it expressed in your life in general, and in your kitchen?
I’m a reform Jew, with a deep love for the amazing Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis and their wonderful work. I bake gluten free challah for Shabbat as much as I can, and love cooking for the various high holidays – especially honey cake for Rosh Hashanah.
Tzedek, tikkun olam, and Jewish foods are the most important and interesting aspects of Judaism to me. I have been a resident at Moishe House St. Louis and Next Dor St. Louis, where entertaining, cooking and baking for young adult Jews brought me the most joy.
How do you express your values in your home through your kitchen?
I haven’t eaten meat in over a decade, and have coeliacs disease and lactose intolerance – so no bagels with cream cheese in my kitchen! Within the remits of gluten free, dairy free cooking, I love to have people over and host an Ottolenghi-inspired dinner.
What is the best thing you learned from another person about food and hospitality?
Make everyone feel included. When someone makes an effort to cook something gluten-free for me, it means a lot.
What three food items could you not live without?
Dark chocolate, coffee, hummus.
What is your best food tip?
Fresh herbs elevate a dish so quickly!
Recommend your favorite cookbooks!
The Modern Larder: From Anchovies to Yuzu, a Guide to Artful and Attainable Home Cooking
So often we buy jars of ingredients and flavors that look delicious, but then they just sit unused in the pantry. This book shares recipes which make the most of all those forgotten ingredients.
Jerusalem
This classic book hardly needs an introduction. I love the recipes for Chermoula eggplant, root vegetable slaw and roasted cauliflower with hazelnut.
How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking
Nigella Lawson is an extremely popular British cook, famous for sharing her enjoyment and pleasure in delicious food without hassle and stress.
Tell us the story of your Gluten Free Hamantaschen Recipe
The last big event I hosted before the pandemic was Purim 2020; nearly 100 people attended our carnival themed party at Moishe House St. Louis and I made hamantaschen for everyone. Hundreds of red velvet with cream cheese filling, dulce de leche filled, and gluten free with jam. It’s such a fond memory, everyone enjoying these cookies and being unaware that the jam ones were gluten free!
Any particular tips for making your Gluten Free Hamantaschen?
Gluten-free baking has a reputation as being complicated or disappointing, but it doesn’t need to be! My favorite flour is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 Baking Flour. If your GF flour doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, add ¼ tsp, it will improve the texture.
Print
Freya’s Gluten Free Hamantaschen Recipe
- Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minute
- Yield: 20
Ingredients
For the dough:
¾ cup non-dairy butter
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups gluten free flour blend
1 tbsp orange zest (from one large orange)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp gluten free baking powder
For the filling:
The jelly, jam, or marmalade of your choosing
For the topping:
1 egg
1 tsp honey
1 tsp water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
To make the dough, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy and light. Add the eggs one by one, and the orange zest, mixing until cohesive.
Add all of the dry ingredients, but only 2 cups of the flour, and stir until a smooth dough is formed. If your dough is still sticky, keep on adding the remaining ½ cup bit by bit, until incorporated but not sticky. (If crumbly, add 1 tbsp dairy free milk at a time.)
Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin lightly with flour, then roll out your ball of dough to ¼ inch thickness. If the dough cracks, do not worry – gluten free dough can always be pieced together again.
Using a pastry cutter (or a glass with a thin rim), cut out 2 ½in – 3in circles, placing each circle on a lined tray. Repeat, re-rolling your dough as necessary, until you have 18 – 20 pastry circles over two baking trays.
Fill each circle with 1 tsp of your filling of choice, then brush the edges with the egg, honey, water mix lightly. Fold in three places to create the triangle shape, and pinch firmly at the edges to seal in the filling. Again – cracking can easily be fixed with warm fingers and a little squish.
Brush the folded edges lightly with the egg, honey, and water mix then bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool before transferring to a cooling rack.
Keywords: Purim, hamantaschen, treat, dessert, gluten-free
More Community Recipes
Jewish Food Hero’s Community Recipes feature is a space for us all to share our favorites and hear from a variety of people in our community. This is an easy and fun way to get new meal ideas and learn about each other. Since you’ve read Freya’s recipe, do you feel inspired to share your Kosher recipe? Don’t forget to get in touch to share your recipe too!
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