It’s hamantaschen time (all year) at Siegel’s Bagelmania

If you stop by Siegel’s Bagelmania near the Las Vegas Convention Center today, you might notice some pinched-up baked morsels stuffed with enticingly dusky-colored fillings on display.

They’re hamantaschen, cookies that are a longtime part of Jewish culinary traditions centered around Purim, the celebratory holiday with its roots in the Bible’s Book of Esther.

“It’s basically a shortbread dough that’s folded into a triangle. Traditionally, it’s filled with poppy seeds or prunes,” said Michael Crandall, senior vice-president of Bagelmania.

For decades in the U.S., hamantaschen were only available during the week of Purim — so they were a delectable big deal when they showed up in local bakeries and grocery stores.

“It was always a treat,” said Crandall of enjoying the Purim-season cookies in decades past. “As a kid, you always loved seeing those triangle-shaped cookies.”

Thankfully, the celebratory and much-loved desserts are now available in any season in non-holiday flavors.

“Year-round, we have apricot and raspberry hamantaschen,” Crandall said.

Bagelmania’s hamantaschen sell for $3.95 each. In addition, the deli-bakery sells rugelach — rolled pastry bites in chocolate chip, raspberry, cinnamon and apricot flavors — for $14.95 a pound.