Mix all ingredients together until soft dough forms. The easiest way to do this is with a stand mixer.
Knead the dough into a ball, place into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.
Cut the cream cheese into small chunks. Mix together all filing ingredients until well combined.
Remove dough from refrigerator. If the dough has turned hard, allow to soften for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into four pieces.
Pound each piece out, one at a time, then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough on a floured surface. The dough should be rolled quite thin, as cookies will puff up during baking. Note: As the dough warms it will become sticky. Keep your rolling pin lightly coated in flour to prevent it from sticking.
Cut the dough into 3-4 inch circles. Place circles onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Place a teaspoon of filling into the center of each circle. Do not use more than a teaspoon of filling, or you run the risk of your hamantaschen opening and filling spilling out during baking.
Assemble the hamantaschen in three steps. First, 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. When you fold this flap up, be sure to tuck the left side of this new flap underneath the left side of the triangle, while letting the right side of this new flap overlap the right side of the triangle. This way, each side of your triangle has a corner that folds over and a corner that folds under– it creates a “pinwheel” effect. This method of folding is not only pretty– it will help to keep the cookies from opening while they bake.
Pinch each corner of the triangle gently but firmly to secure the shape.
Repeat this process for the remaining circles. When all of your hamantaschen have been filled, bake them on the ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes till cookies turn light golden brown. Remove the cookies from the pan and cool them on a wire rack. Cool the cookie sheet completely before making more cookies.
