Out of all the Jewish holidays, Purim is arguably the most festive; it’s kind of like Jewish Halloween! Traditions include dressing up in costumes, exchanging gifts, acting out the Purim story, donating to those in need, and eating lots and lots of Hamantaschens. If you do not already celebrate Purim, you may be wondering what a Hamantaschen is and why they are so popular. A Hamantaschen is a delicious cookie with filling in the middle, shaped in a triangle. There are so many different varieties of Hamantaschen, so I am going to rank the five core fillings from worst to best.

Coming in at number five is prune. This is the obvious choice since it always tastes dry and expired for some inexplicable reason. The only time I would go for a prune hamantaschen is if there was no other snack available, and I hadn’t eaten in three days. To be honest, I’d probably still only eat the cookie around it. Prune filling actually ruins the cookie and ruins everything else it’s a part of for that matter. I am always up for eating a hamantaschen, but if it’s prune I would have to take a pass.

Next up, in fourth place is apricot. I feel like most people either love it or hate it. There is no in-between. That being said, for me, I am pretty much indifferent. I don’t mind the flavor, but it always leaves a strange aftertaste in my mouth which kinda ruins it for me. In my opinion, it is the definition of average. When comparing it to all of the other amazing flavors, it gets lost in the mix because there are no outstanding positives or harsh negatives about it. Other lesser-made flavors, such as peach, are more vibrant and flavorful and less forgettable than apricot and deserve a spot on this list as a core flavor over apricot.

In third place is lemon poppy seed. This one is another flavor that I don’t love or hate. The standout feature of this one is the lemon zest in the dough. The filling is good but not quite tangy enough, and I personally do not understand the purpose of poppy seeds. They don’t add any taste to the cookie and get stuck in my teeth, which is really distracting to my overall enjoyment and can lead to some embarrassing situations. But, Lemon poppyseed is such an overall iconic flavor. Muffins, cakes, breads, cookies, and even the Hamantaschen have all jumped on the bandwagon. Overall, it is a tasty choice, but I stand by my opinion on the poppy seed.

In second place is chocolate, which I absolutely love!. You can’t go wrong by choosing this Hamantaschen. The filling can vary from dark, milk, and even nutella! It is the most dessert-tasting filling on the list, and definitely for someone who loves super sweet, rich flavors. My placement of chocolate on this list may stir up some controversy, as most everyone would likely rank it first, but I have never been one to follow the crowd. As much as I love it, the flavor almost feels one-sided because it is sweet paired with sweet. There is no flavor dimension to the cookie. This flavor is near perfect, but not quite, and there is only one that can top it.

At number one is none other than raspberry! There are so many flavors, but this one is perfect. The texture of the filling from the fruit to the seeds makes it a heavenly treat to experience. The tartness, and vibrancy of the flavor is a perfect balance to the sweetness and flakiness of the cookie. Also, the rich red color of the filling makes my eyes love this flavor just as much as my taste buds do. Overall, no other Hamantaschen can come within miles of a raspberry one.

That was my personal ranking of the core five flavors of Hamantaschen. There are many other fun flavors out there to enjoy! Happy Purim!