Miracle cookies that need no costume

Or maybe it’s just a matter of branding. You tell people “hamantaschen,” and they drift into an associative journey to the past, most of it rather stale dough castings, usually with rather inferior poppy seeds, and with rather limited imagination. So perhaps it’s time to try marketing them differently.

What about cookies, for example? Just like that. Everyone loves cookies, after all. And if we add justified, honest and reliable adjectives like “buttery,” “filled,” “crisp” but also “creamy,” then we’ve really made progress. Or “A box of fresh cookies that Israel’s finest bakers and pastry chefs labored over until the perfect batch came out of the oven”? Even more intriguing, and also – don’t tell anyone we said this – a winner over Hanukkah sufganiyot and Shavuot cheesecakes. Especially if you need something next to the coffee, and next to the noisemakers.

So here they are. Hamantaschen that are also miracle cookies. Bon appétit, and happy holiday!

The bakery and dessert house of Avi and Bat El Sabah spreads holiday vibes from Kiryat Yam across Israel – savory, sweet, everything works here.

Lupin’s sweet hamantaschen collection (NIS 13 per unit) is based on an excellent shortcrust dough, buttery-creamy, as a starting point, with fillings that elevate it even further. There’s a wonderful combination of pistachio, raspberry and marzipan, pecans, caramel and dulce chocolate coating, poppy seed with white chocolate and lemon zest, as well as chocolate fudge with a cocoa aroma and the right pinch of sea salt (NIS 19).

At the same time, they’ve prepared a savory Purim menu that highlights hamantaschen that dreamed of being bourekas, and woke up in the morning to make it happen. The dough holds rich fillings well (cream cheese, onion jam with Parmesan streusel, sweet potato and goat cheese), the size requires sharing and the execution shakes up the holiday, in the noisiest and happiest way possible. Price: NIS 27 per unit.

The Tel Aviv café combines American and Israeli joys with an original Purim menu and a warm, homey feeling – wherever that home may choose to be.

The hamantaschen collection, in a nostalgic USA classics format with an invested blue-and-white wrapping, includes s’mores versions with Nutella and marshmallow you don’t have to give the kids and should preferably keep for yourselves, PB&J with peanut butter and excellent strawberry jam, as well as apple pie spiced with cinnamon, which is a mischievous dessert disguised as holiday tradition. Price: NIS 10 per unit, five for NIS 45.

The home of Uri Scheft celebrates Purim under the banner of wish fulfillment, and it’s quite clear from the starting point to the empty mishloah manot that this is a completely mutual aspiration – for them, and for us. That’s what happens when you take something excellent and still try to pour added value into it, every single time.

Lehamim Bakery’s hamantaschen collection (NIS 17.90 per 100 grams) is based on butter and ground almond dough that is a bit crisp and a bit soft at the same time, with milky, rich poppy seed filling, chocolate brownies, wonderful pecan-almond-maple in its bitterness-sweetness, and the indisputable hit known as “Napoleon’s Hat” marzipan.

Alongside these, an exciting collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation was launched to maximize wish fulfillment for children and teens coping with life-threatening illnesses. As part of it, part of the proceeds from sales of holiday packages and boxes (NIS 69 for a mishloah manot with hamantaschen, mask, noisemaker and greeting card, for example, or a charming family baking kit for NIS 139) will be donated to the foundation.

One of the holiday surprises – deliberately, of course – came from the veteran neighborhood bakery in Tel Aviv, which chose to send celebrants on a trip to the Far East. A short trip, admittedly, but these days that’s something too.

The Little Bakers’ hamantaschen collection went bold and punchy with mango-coconut chutney filling (wonderful for enthusiasts, spiced and even a bit piquant here and there) and lemongrass with lime (green and lovely, bitter-sour-sweet), and rightly returned to last year’s farm series with cherry tomato jam and onion jam that moved well between savory and sweet.

Alongside these, and naturally, there will also be civilized classics of poppy seed, dates and almonds, Dubai chocolate, halva and Nutella, as well as gluten-free versions. Price: NIS 6 per unit, NIS 130 per kilogram.

Dallal’s carnival (and Timor Lavi’s) continues every morning and every day, practically without stops, with additional fireworks joining during holidays and special occasions. Purim, in this respect, simply provides another opportunity for a party.

Thus, its hamantaschen collection leaps nicely between the classic and familiar (poppy seed), past hits that cannot be removed from the menu (pistachio-amareno), childish-nostalgic versions in 2026 mode (milk chocolate praline), and a completely new creation, this time in the form of crack pie filling and mischievous, genius mascarpone cream. Yes, apparently there are still such things here. Price: NIS 8–9 per unit, NIS 59 for a box of eight.

The large patisserie chain celebrates Purim with a mischievous, smiling spark, exactly as the authors of the Megillah intended, essentially.

Boutique Central’s dessert collection, in masks, clowns, songs and dances format of course, includes a double cream puff in the shape of a clown (NIS 34) with vanilla cream and strawberry crumble and strawberry cream and chocolate coating and strawberry-vanilla ganache that managed to surprise with creativity without forgetting the flavor, buttery and crisp mask cookies (NIS 12) filled with wonderful jam, as well as hamantaschen in three flavors – chocolate, poppy seed and strawberry jam (NIS 3.5 per unit, NIS 48 for a box of 16).

As usual, the patisserie-bakery chain does excellent without being loud and quality without being boastful. It only sounds simple and basic to execute.

Mimi’s Purim collection includes hamantaschen based on crisp sour cream dough (and wonderful on its own), with chocolate and poppy seed fillings only, and bonus wheat-flour-free versions. Beyond that, no coffee needs more. Price: NIS 7 per unit, NIS 45–48 for nine.

The wonderful deli chain raises a true Purim celebration, and a hamantaschen feast that dances with you long before the sweet dessert.

Goldy's’ holiday collection draws inspiration from Jewish home kitchens and adds an updated-indulgent 2026 touch. That means a colorful fan of hamantaschen filled with chocolate, dates, jam, pistachio and brownies (NIS 54–64 for a dozen box) as well as savory versions with shredded asado beef and a chicken-garlic-honey mixture (6 large units for NIS 168) – a full meal that leaves you with a Purim spirit in the very best sense.

The baking and temptation group celebrates Purim with a menu rich in options, and something sweet for each participant in this collective carnival.

Thus, Confectionery Shani’s hamantaschen will offer fillings on a wide range between classic (poppy seed, dates, nuts), modern classic (wonderful chocolate soufflé, pistachio and raspberry well balanced on the seam between sweet and bitter), and a classic that will soon be a classic (halva-pecan with browned dough, that almost boils water for coffee on its own). Price: NIS 3.5 per unit, NIS 49 for a 300-gram box.

Rossella Yona’s days of amusement began long before the holiday (and in fact continue all the time, regardless of the holiday), all the way to a Purim menu that emphasizes surprises and twists in the buttery-crisp plotline.

The result is a wonderful hamantaschen collection from Biscotti, which insists on an excellent (dough) base, and then adds pastry work of at least equal level. Winning costumes.

You can find here cinnamon-aroma Cinnabon versions with pastry cream-cinnamon, “Candies” with colorful sprinkles, charming “Petit Beurre” with milk chocolate, poppy-lemon, and also a winner in the form of “Brownies in Costume,” with cocoa dough, brownie cream and brownie crumble. Price: NIS 49 for a 280-gram package.

At the same time, real holiday boxes were assembled here, including the “Mordechai Package” (hamantaschen, chocolate sprinkle cake, 3-chocolate cookie and chocolate sprinkle balls, NIS 98), the “Esther Package” (hamantaschen, chocolate sprinkle cake, Kinder roll, macarons, coconut chocolate balls and white chocolate-nut tuile, NIS 132), as well as the total “Ahasuerus Package” (NIS 254), with all this goodness and more, including pecan pie, for example.

Ruthie Brodo’s temptation powerhouse takes the holiday hand in hand from elegant to party mode, and adds a completely verbal element to the concepts “mishloah manot” and “surprise box.” After last year’s premiere, it can already be declared mischievous genius.

The Bakery’s (and the Delicatessen’s) hamantaschen collection includes traditional fillings (poppy seed, nuts and cinnamon) and traditional by inertia (Nutella, of course), combining ideal buttery crisp dough with a spot-on texture inside. Beneath these – and that beneath arrives quickly, the business gets wiped out – also awaits a prize scratch card, probably the four cutest words in our daily life, certainly when something else from R2M awaits at the end (did someone say Saint Honoré?). Price: NIS 52 for a box of 13 units.

Haim Cohen’s bakery celebrates Purim with a solid bombardment only, well made, and without the need for confetti from other holidays. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed.

Thus, Pitzi’s hamantaschen collection includes chocolate, dates and poppy seed fillings, and uses this focus to create a rich experience from the dough to the rich interior. Next to the coffee, next to the carnival. Price: NIS 55–335 for packages ranging from family to intimidating.

The veteran baking chain celebrates Purim with typical frolic and a balanced combination of classics and craziness. That’s the essence of these days, isn’t it?

Metuka’s hamantaschen collection accordingly includes poppy seed and date fillings, chocolate fudge and salted caramel indulgences, good colors of berry confiture and pistachio cream, a winning move in the form of marzipan and nocciola, kids’ go-to with milk chocolate and colorful sprinkles, and also a crisp vegan variation with dark chocolate, dates and walnuts.

The baking and patisserie giant celebrates Purim as usual – big, and as generously as possible.

Roladin’s hamantaschen collection begins with the classic (NIS 5.5 per unit), with poppy seed, dates-nuts, chocolate and chocolate chip fillings, continues to indulgent with nocciola-bianco and nuts-caramel versions, and then rises even more, with double coated cookies (NIS 6) – marzipan and berries in raspberry crust and “Gold Cookie Cream” with cream cheese filling inside and light chocolate coating outside.

When it seems we’re done, the XL arrive to close gaps, and open new ones with a size that requires sharing or going wild – you can do both – and a combination of pecan, chocolate, salted caramel and blondies. Price: NIS 18.

At the same time, the chain continues its exciting “Esther’s Hearts” tradition, centered on heart cookies (excellent on their own) whose sales proceeds will be donated this year to the “The Social Salon” initiative, which works to make wedding dresses accessible to female security forces personnel and partners of those mobilized.

The indulgent bakery chain from Landwer celebrates Purim big, in every possible sense.

Bread Club’s hamantaschen collection begins classic and moderate (Nutella, Lotus) and quickly moves to crazy with Oreo, peanut butter, salted pretzel and s’mores fillings (childish and wonderful, as intended in the Megillah), all the way to true holiday joy, Adloyada style. Price: NIS 15 per unit.

The veteran café chain celebrates Purim with a combination of classics and amusements, and a nice ability to embed a small twist on its bakery shelves. Sometimes (always, actually) that’s all that’s needed.

Arcaffe’s hamantaschen include chocolate, salted caramel, ricotta (delicate and excellent), pastry cream that gets chocolate chips or cornflakes and white chocolate, a pink-red version of strawberry-flavored cream, and a surprising winner in the form of a poppy seed and apple cookie. Invested, smart and heralding good tea and a happy holiday. Price: NIS 5 per unit, 13 for NIS 55.

At the same time, glass jars for cookies that are an entire mishloah manot, noisemakers and clowns on a stick, candies and chocolate and colorful holiday gifts will also be sold here.

The popular chain expands holiday joy with invested mishloah manot, and something sweet for everyone.

Miki Shemo’s Purim collection includes hamantaschen from classic crisp dough with poppy-nut-chocolate-date fillings (NIS 49 for a 350-gram box), optimal Pressburger cake, sugar-free versions, and also a constant, steady hit in the form of browned yeast dough triangles (NIS 8 per unit) filled with poppy seed, nuts and ricotta-raisin. From our perspective, this is no less a good tradition than any Megillah.

As usual, the large chain of Mimi Ne’eman Sheikh welcomes Adar with all its customs, placing special emphasis on joie de vivre, in crisp and carb format of course.

Maafeh Ne’eman’s endless collection offers chocolate and dates-cinnamon fillings, poppy seed and halva cream, vanilla and pecan and strawberry cream alongside a Dubai version with pistachio dough and kataifi strands and a “Dalmatian” hit of chocolate chip dough. It’s colorful and well made, it’s very fairly priced (NIS 38 for a package of about 380 grams, NIS 8.90 per 100 grams in bulk) and it’s mainly mischievous and silly, in the very best sense of the word.

In a crumb- and dough-heavy holiday, comes a box with slightly different news. News of joy, of course.

Biga’s hamantaschen are filled with halva, dates, poppy seed and chocolate and are all based on a gluten-free shell, crisp to a good extent relative to the genre, and indulgent enough so we won’t immediately think of compromise. The chain’s new mix package (8 cookies for NIS 55) includes a mix of all this goodness, in a round holiday box format, and closes corners.