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Love Taco Bell Caramel Apple Empanadas? You’re in for a treat! My caramel apple empanada recipe is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Complete with homemade spiced caramel sauce and a buttery, flaky pie crust, they’re a guaranteed hit over the holidays.
Jump to:
- Apple Pie Empanadas
- Caramel Apple Empanada Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Apple Empanadas
- Caramel Empanadas Expert Tips
- Caramel Apple Empanada Recipe FAQ
- How to Freeze Apple Pie Empanadas
- Make-Ahead Apple Empanadas
- Apple Empanada Variations
- How to Serve Apple Empanadas
- Apple Recipes
- Pin it for later!
- Recipe
- Reviews
Apple Pie Empanadas
I’ve always been a big fan of empanadas (as evidenced by my beef empanadas, chicken empanadas, and pumpkin empanadas), but those Taco Bell caramel apple empanadas are something special. I tried them just once on a whim and knew I had to start making them at home to enjoy whenever I want. Ron and the kids agreed!
The best thing about my recipe for caramel apple empanadas is how easy it is to make. I mean it, this is an easy recipe. You can use ready-made pie dough or make your own from scratch using a handful of simple ingredients, and either way, it’s guaranteed to taste amazing.
Give it a try; I know you’re going to enjoy it. I’d love to hear what you think, too, so please leave a review in the comments section below the recipe card!
Delicious! Made this for my boyfriend’s birthday and he LOVED IT! He said it reminded him of the Taco Bell empanadas but waaay better! Thanks for sharing!
Pinterest Review
Caramel Apple Empanada Recipe Ingredients
Empanada Dough
- All-Purpose Flour: I have yet to make these caramel apple empanadas using gluten-free flour. If you need to make your empanadas gluten-free, I recommend using your favorite gluten-free pie dough, or, if you don’t have a go-to recipe already, a box mix like King Arthur’s gluten-free pie crust mix. You may also have success with a 1:1 measure for measure flour, but I have not tried this so I advise testing it.
- Granulated Sugar: You will need white granular sugar. I do not recommend using brown sugar.
- Salt: Just a pinch of kosher salt.
- Butter: Make sure your butter is unsalted, chilled, and cubed. The butter needs to be chilled when you’re working with it to ensure the dough reaches the right consistency, so keep it in the fridge right up until you’re ready to make the dough.
- Cold Water: It’s important that the water is cold.
Caramel Apple Filling
- Apples: For the filling, I’m using Granny Smith apples. They have a nice balance of tart flavor perfect for pairing with sweet caramel. You can use other varieties, but I recommend sticking to a tarter variety to balance out the flavors.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled! It makes a huge difference, trust me!
- Caramel: You can also use cajeta or dulce de leche.
- Vanilla Extract: Mexican vanilla works as well and is a little more budget-friendly. This is always my go-to substitute for vanilla extract when I need it.
- Ground Cinnamon: Combined with cloves, this adds a warming flavor to the filling.
- Ground Cloves: Adds a warming flavor to the filling, combined with ground cinnamon.
- Salt: Use kosher salt or sea salt flakes. Avoid table salt.
Empanada Assembly
- Egg Yolk and Water: This is for the egg wash. Combine egg yolk and water, then brush it at the edges of the empanadas before folding. You can also brush a bit on top to ensure the empanadas brown better.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling. That extra bit of sweetness adds so much, and the cinnamon flavor is extra tasty.
- Caramel Sauce: For drizzling. This is optional, but I recommend it!
Slicing Apples for Empanadas
Slice your apples easily by following my guide on using a mandoline!
How to Make Apple Empanadas
Empanada Dough
- Follow my guide to making empanada dough for more in-depth instructions, tips, and recipes to make using empanada dough.
- Add flour, sugar, cold cubed butter, egg, cold water, and a pinch of salt to a food processor with a dough blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then shape into a ball of dough.
- Wrap the ball of dough tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dough ball from the fridge. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface as well as on your rolling pin. Roll the dough out on the flour as thinly as possible.
- Using a 5-inch round bowl or plate, cut discs out of the dough. The dough must be formed into a ball and rolled out several times to cut all of the rounds.
- Store the dough in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic, or use it immediately.
Tips for making empanada dough for caramel apple empanadas:
- Fill the dough discs with no more than two Tablespoons of filling. This makes the empanadas easier to seal and less likely to burst open when cooking.
- Seal the edges by pinching or rolling with your fingers, or by pressing on the edges with the tines of a fork.
- Brush empanada dough with egg wash for best results.
Using Store-bought Empanada Discs
You can also use store-bought empanada discs, such as Goya discos. Keep in mind these are made without sugar, so you will need to add additional sugar to sweeten the empanadas further.
Apple Pie Filling for Empanadas
- Cut Granny Smith apples into evenly diced pieces.
- Mix the diced apples with lemon juice.
- Add the apples to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix in caramel and stir together. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the apples soften, 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and a pinch of salt. Remove the filling from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Avoid Burning Caramel
Make sure not to walk away when making the filling. Caramel can burn quickly if you aren’t paying attention to it, and it will ruin a pan!
Making Caramel Apple Empanadas
- Once the filling is cool enough to handle, remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a thin sheet. Using a circular cutter, bowl, or glass about 3½ inches wide, cut out circles from the dough. Continue to ball up and roll out the dough as necessary until all of the dough is used up to make discs.
- Place apple pie filling into the center of each dough disc. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
- Seal completely by slightly pulling the dough out, folding it over, then pressing down with the tines of a fork. This creates a rope-like appearance. Repeat until all empanadas are folded.
- Place the caramel apple empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet two inches apart from one another. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a small bowl, beat egg yolk together with water. Brush the egg wash over the top of the chilled empanadas. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar.
- Bake 20-25 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Caramel Empanadas Expert Tips
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes before baking. Don’t skip this step! This helps firm up the dough and filling to keep everything inside as they bake.
- Crisp them up. To make your caramel apple empanadas crispy, swap granulated sugar for turbinado sugar to crisp up the tops of the apple empanadas further and add a little texture!
- How to make cinnamon sugar. You can easily make your own cinnamon sugar by mixing ½ cup sugar with 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Make it even sweeter. Add a spoonful of brown sugar or piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar) to the simmering apples.
Caramel Apple Empanada Recipe FAQ
Can I use store-bought dough to make caramel apple empanadas?
You can use either ready-made pie dough or even Goya discos to make these caramel apple hand pies, and they will be delicious. If you have the time, however, I highly recommend making homemade pie dough. It is truly delicious!
Can I make caramel apple empanadas gluten-free?
Yes. Use 1:1 measure-to-measure gluten-free flour, a gluten-free pie crust mix, or your favorite gluten-free pie dough recipe.
What can I do with leftover caramel apple filling?
You should have enough filling to make all of the caramel empanadas with very little or none leftover, but if you do have some filling left, it is fantastic over vanilla ice cream or with pancakes or waffles for breakfast.
Can I use frozen pie crust to make caramel apple empanadas?
No, I recommend using refrigerator pie crust. Frozen pie crust will be difficult to work with for making caramel apple empanadas.
How to Freeze Apple Pie Empanadas
- How to freeze empanadas before baking:
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Assemble the empanadas according to the instructions, making sure to seal them tightly, then place on the pan. Make sure the empanadas are not touching so that they do not stick together in the freezer.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then store in the freezer for 3 hours. Once frozen, remove them from the pan and add to freezer-safe bags or individually wrap them in plastic wrap. You can also store in an air-tight container.
- When ready to bake, add 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
- How to freeze empanadas after baking:
- Assemble and bake the empanadas according to the instructions. Allow them to cool completely.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the empanadas on the baking sheet, spaced out just so they do not touch. Cover the sheet loosely with plastic wrap, then store in the freezer for 3 hours.
- Once frozen, remove them from the pan to add to freezer-safe bags, or wrap individually in plastic wrap. You can also store in an air-tight container.
- When ready to reheat, you can do so at baking temperature for about 10-15 minutes straight out of the freezer.
Make-Ahead Apple Empanadas
You can make both the empanada dough and the apple pie filling ahead of time.
- Empanada dough: Form the dough according to the instructions outlined in the post. Then, add the dough to a greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store for no more than 3 days before assembling the empanadas.
- Empanada filling: Cook the filling according to the post instructions, then let cool and add to an air-tight container in the fridge. Store for the same amount of time as the filling, no more than 3 days.
Apple Empanada Variations
- Instead of caramel, try using cajeta (Mexican goat milk caramel) or dulce de leche for these caramel apple empanadas. Dulce de leche is great for having on hand to make recipes like these hand pies or Carlota de Limón.
- Use ready-made dough or Goya discos to save yourself some prep time on making the dough. They are just as flavorful!
- Add a little piloncillo to the simmering apples. Piloncillo is like a Mexican brown sugar. It’s a raw form of cane sugar that tastes wonderful in this recipe!
This Mexican dessert recipe is truly delicious. It really will remind you of the Taco Bell empanada recipe, and we guarantee your family will love it!
How to Serve Apple Empanadas
These caramel apple hand pies are perfect for pairing with dessert toppings or ice cream. Here are my favorite suggestions:
- Serve with cinnamon gelato, ice cream, or a little whipped topping.
- Drizzle additional caramel sauce or even butterscotch on top.
Or serve these apple hand pies as an alternative to a full pie for a holiday dessert. They make a wonderful treat in the Fall, especially for Thanksgiving!
Apple Recipes
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Recipe
Caramel Apple Empanadas
Caramel Apple Empanadas filled with diced apples simmered in a caramel sauce spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- ½ cup cold water
Filling:
- 4 Granny Smith apples diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup caramel, cajeta, or dulce de leche
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch salt
Topping:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- Cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
- Caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
To make the dough:
- In a food processor fitted with a dough blade or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Pulse in the cubed butter or cut in using a pastry blender or your fingers to create a crumbly texture with no pieces larger than a pea.
- Mix in enough water just to bring together the pieces and create a smooth dough. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling:
- Toss the diced apples with the lemon juice. In a saucepan, stir together the diced apples and caramel over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften, 15-20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
To assemble:
- Once the filling has cooled to room temperature, remove from dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin sheet. Use 3 ½ inch circular cutter to cut out circles of dough.
- Place 1-1 ½ tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of one of the circles. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Seal completely using the tines of a fork or create a rope appearance by pulling the edge out slightly and folding over, starting from one end and finishing at the opposite side. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
- Place the empanadas two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash over the tops of the chilled empanadas. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven until the empanadas are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Final StepPlease leave a rating and comment below to tell me what you think of the recipe! This helps me know which recipes you’re looking for, so I can continue to provide you with high-quality recipes at no cost.
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Notes
I made a homemade pie dough, but a lot of the preparation time can be cut with refrigerated pie crust or frozen Goya discos.
You can also swap out the caramel for cajeta (Mexican goat’s milk caramel) or dulce de leche if they are available.
I drizzled additional caramel sauce over the tops of the empanadas, but you can also serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.
If you want even more sweetness, add a spoonful of brown sugar or piloncillo to the simmering apples.
Using an egg wash to seal the empanadas is key to keeping the apple empanadas intact while baking. Don’t skip on refrigerating the empanadas for at least 20 minutes before baking. This will help firm up the dough and filling to keep everything inside.
If you want even more sweetness, add a spoonful of brown sugar or piloncillo to the simmering apples.
Using an egg wash to seal the empanadas is key to keeping the apple empanadas intact while baking. Don’t skip on refrigerating the empanadas for at least 20 minutes before baking. This will help firm up the dough and filling to keep everything inside.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 6mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 305IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1.1mg
Garlic + Zest says
I am drooling over here! Those little empanadas look positively luscious! Definitely my kind of dessert!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much! It’s one of my favorite kinds too.
Erika says
These look fabulous. I love empanadas savory and sweet, yum!
Em Beitel says
Me too! Thank you, Erika!
Low Carb with Jennifer says
These look amazing. Anything in a hand pie can’t be beat! Thanks for sharing! *****
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Jennifer! We love these little empanadas.
thisiswholesome says
I’ve never had or heard of sweet empanadas and boy, I was missing out on such a delicious treat!
Em Beitel says
Aren’t they fantastic? You just can’t go wrong with a hand pie! So glad you like it. Thank you!
Chenia says
These look amazing! I want to make them for a party.. can they be frozen after baking? Or, if not, can I make the dough and filling a few days in advance and then assemble and bake that day?
Thanks! 😊
Em Beitel says
Hi Chenia! Thank you so much for your questions! You can actually freeze them before or after baking, whichever you prefer. Prepare them according to directions and stop just before baking them. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the empanadas next to each other, but make sure to space them out so they don’t stick together when they freeze. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then add to the freezer for 3 hours or so.
Once they’re frozen you can take them out and add them to freezer bags or tightly wrap them in plastic wrap. Go ahead and label them and use them within 2-3 months. You can bake them straight out of the freezer this way! Just add extra time to the baking time when you do (I would add about 5-10 minutes; check at 5, and if they aren’t done, leave in for a bit longer).
You can do the same for already baked empanadas, just let them cool completely first before freezing.
As for making the dough in advance, yes! I would make it no more than 3 days in advance. Add it to a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. You can store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge for the same amount of time and then assemble as needed.
Thank you again for your questions. We greatly appreciate it and will add this advice to the post!
Taylor says
Can you fry these instead of baking?
Em Beitel says
Hi Taylor! Thank you so much for your question. Yes, you can fry these empanadas instead of baking them if you’d like. I recommend using Goya Discos if you’d like to fry them! Fill a skillet with neutral oil enough to cover about half the empanada in the pan. Fry until golden brown on one side, then flip. Drain them on paper towels when you’re done. We would love to know how they turn out for you!
Rachel says
Can you use bottled caramel like sundae topping or one for caramel apples? Thank you! 🙂
Em Beitel says
Hi Rachel! Absolutely, that should be fine. Since you need a third of a cup it may be easier to use jarred caramel, but bottled should work just fine. Thank you for your question!
Taylor says
How long are these good for after they are baked?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Taylor! I would keep them for about 3-4 days.