Grandma's Hamantashen Cookies

This is my grandma's recipe for Hamantashen cookies, which are made for the jewish holiday Purim. A few tips for better shaped cookies: - freeze dough for a few minutes to make it easier to handle - do NOT overwork dough - when shaping cookies, leave only a little bit of jam showing - freeze cookies for another few minutes before you put them in the oven

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 lb butter or 1⁄4 lb margarine
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  tablespoons  orange juice
• 3  cups flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  salt if you use unsalted butter
• 1 (1 lb) jar  apricot jam or 1 (1 lb) jar prune jam

Directions

1. pre-heat oven to 375'F.
2. cream butter and sugar.
3. add eggs one at a time.
4. beat well.
5. add vanilla and orange juice.
6. add flour and baking powder (and salt if needed).
7. mix until the dough can form a ball.
8. roll dough on a well floured board to about 1/8inch thick.
9. cut into 3inch rounds.
10. place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each round.
11. pinch dough upward in three places at the outer edge to make the traditional three-cornered hat shape.
12. bake for 15-20 minutes on greased or parchment lined baking sheet until slightly golden brown.
13. remove from pan and let cool on a cooling rack for at least 10minutes.