Great-Grandmother Bubbie's Hamantaschen Cookies

Start by placing prunes and apricots in a large cooking vessel, covering them with water, and then bringing the mixture to a vigorous boil over high heat. Continue to cook while keeping an eye on it, stirring occasionally, until the fruit becomes tender, which should take around 15 minutes. Remove the fruit from the pot using a colander and mash it together in a medium-sized bowl using a fork. Set this aside to cool while you prepare the dough.

Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper in preparation for the next steps.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of sugar, eggs, oil, lemon zest, and orange zest until everything is thoroughly mixed. In another large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder to create a smooth mixture. Combine the egg mixture with the flour mixture, using your hands to knead until the dough comes together in a cohesive mass.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass to cut out circles from the dough.

In another large bowl, mix together the prune-apricot mixture, walnuts, remaining 1/3 cup of sugar, and lemon juice until everything is well combined. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling mixture in the center of each dough circle. Pinch the edges firmly together to create a triangle, leaving the center open to expose the filling. Repeat this process with the remaining dough circles. Place these triangular-shaped pastries on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, which should take around 20 minutes. Remove these pastries from the baking sheets and let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before they are completely cooled.