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    Home » Recipes » How-to's & Guides » Empanada Dough Recipe

    Empanada Dough Recipe

    Published: Sep 2, 2022 Modified: May 3, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Jump to Recipe

    Homemade empanada dough is easy to make and makes the best empanadas! I’ll show you how to make an Easy Empanada Dough Recipe you can use with any filling, that’s flaky, buttery, and so delicious.

    Three caramel apple empanadas on a plate, one is split open
    Jump to:
    • Best Empanada Dough
    • Empanadas Dough Ingredients
    • How to Make Empanada Dough
    • Empanadas Dough Recipe Tips
    • Sweet Empanada Dough Instructions
    • Empanadas Dough Recipe FAQs
    • How to Store Leftover Dough
    • Best Empanada Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Best Empanada Dough

    Baked and fried empanadas are both basically a staple at our house. My family is wild about them! I’ve made everything from savory to sweet empanadas, with flavors like classic beef to caramel apple and even pumpkin.

    While you can use premade empanada discs, I love to use my own recipe for empanada dough for the shells. There is nothing like the taste and texture of fresh pastry! They’re so buttery and flaky.

    You can use this easy empanada dough recipe for fried or baked empanadas.

    I will never use another dough recipe. I tried it and it came out perfect. I has the perfect pull to it. Thank you for this awesome recipe.

    Jillian on Pinterest
    Baked Puerto Rican Meat Pies Empanadas on a white surface
    Puerto Rican Empanadas with Beef

    Empanadas Dough Ingredients

    • all-purpose flour
    • butter
    • egg
    • water
    • salt

    If you’re making sweet empanada dough, you will also need sugar.

    Empanada dough in the food processor after mixing
    Mixing the dough for sweet pumpkin empanadas

    How to Make Empanada Dough

    1. Add flour, butter cut into small pieces, egg, water, and a pinch of salt to a food processor fitted with a dough blade. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
    2. Wrap the ball of dough tightly in the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    3. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin as thin as possible.
    4. Use a 5-inch round bowl or plate to cut discs from the dough. The dough will need to be formed into a ball and rolled out a few more times to cut all of the rounds.
    5. Store or use immediately.
    6. Fill with no more than 2 tablespoons of preferred filling when ready to fill, to prevent bursting and make the empanadas easier to seal.
    7. Seal by rolling or pinching the edges with your fingers, or pressing down on the edges with the tines of a fork.
    8. Brush with egg wash (beaten egg mixed with water) for best results.

    Empanadas Dough Recipe Tips

    • Refrigerating the dough for 15-30 minutes before using it will result in flakier dough because the gluten in the dough relaxes.
    • You can also refrigerate empanadas after sealing them. Do this for 30 minutes and they will hold their shape better.
    • Use the dough as soon as you make it so it doesn’t crack, or store it in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic for no more than 1-2 days.
    • Always brush your empanadas with a bit of egg wash for golden brown pastries. Egg wash is a mixture of beaten egg and water.
    • Using a food processor makes mixing the dough easier, but it isn’t necessary. You can mix the dough by hand, as well.
    • Generally, a temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit will be perfect for baking empanadas. When they’re golden-brown all over, they’re ready to take out of the oven.

    Sweet Empanada Dough Instructions

    For sweet empanada dough, adding sugar when mixing the dough is key. This is the only difference between savory and sweet. Otherwise, you make the dough the exact same way following the instructions above.

    Empanadas Dough Recipe FAQs

    What is an empanada?

    Empanadas are essentially hand pies. They’re fried or baked pastries filled with savory or sweet fillings. Empanadas are a Mexican food, but you can find the same type of dish all over the world, from Puerto Rico’s Empanadillas (or Pastelillos) to Portugal’s Rissóis.

    What kind of dough is used for empanadas?

    You can use any kind of dough you like to make your empanadas, from pizza dough to pie dough. I like to make my own recipe for empanada dough that’s super easy and uses simple ingredients. Even a total beginner to baking can make this dough.

    Are empanadas better fried or baked?

    Empanadas are delicious either fried or baked. Baking uses less oil and is therefore a little more wholesome than frying, but as far as taste goes, they’re both delicious. It isn’t difficult to make crispy, satisfying empanadas using your oven. Honestly, I like them both ways, and so does my family.

    How do you seal empanada dough?

    There are multiple ways to seal empanada dough, depending on preference. I prefer to use a fork to crimp the edge. You can crimp the edges of the pastries using a fork by simply pressing along the edges with the tines, fold the edges with your fingers in a purse-like shape, or simply roll the edges.

    No matter which method you use, brush the inside edge with a bit of water or egg wash to help seal the empanadas closed. Be sure not to over-stuff your pastry with filling or it may burst when baking or make it hard to seal.

    Can I freeze empanada dough?

    The easiest way to freeze empanada dough is to roll the dough out into discs, then stack them with a piece of parchment paper in between each disc. Store them in a freezer bag labeled with the date. When ready to use, let them thaw for about 20 minutes. Dough lasts about 3 months in the freezer.

    How to Store Leftover Dough

    To store leftover empanada dough, wrap tightly with plastic and place it in the fridge for no more than 1-2 days. If possible, it’s better to use the dough immediately.

    Mixing empanada dough in a food processor
    Savory empanada dough in the food processor

    Best Empanada Recipes

    • Puerto Rican Empanadas
    • Chicken Empanadas
    • Pumpkin Empanadas
    • Caramel Apple Empanadas
    • Shrimp Empanadas
    • I have experimented with chicken chili empanadas and they are fabulous!

    You can fill your empanadas any way you like. There are endless options to choose from! These are some of my favorite, easy-hand pie recipes you can make using my empanada dough recipe.

    Leftover ham is also a great option for filling empanadas.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!

    📋 Recipe

    cutting circles of empanada dough from a sheet of dough

    Empanada Dough Recipe

    Isabel Laessig
    My empanada dough recipe is easy to make using simple ingredients, and perfect to use for sweet or savory empanadas of all kinds.
    4.44 from 23 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer or main
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 12 discs
    Calories 168 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food processor (optional)
    • rolling pin
    • Knife
    • 5 to 6 inch round bowl or plate

    Ingredients
      

    • 2½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for sprinkling
    • 1 stick butter cold and cut into pieces
    • 1 egg beaten
    • ¼ cup cold water
    • 1 pinch salt

    Add for sweet empanadas

    • ½ Tablespoon granulated sugar
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    • Add 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 stick butter, 1 egg, ¼ cup cold water, and 1 pinch salt to a food processor fitted with a dough blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. See notes if mixing by hand.
      1 stick butter, 1 egg, ¼ cup cold water, 1 pinch salt, 2½ cups all-purpose flour
      Mixing empanada dough in a food processor
    • Pour dough mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use your hands to form the mixture into a ball. Once shaped, wrap tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    • Remove the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean surface and roll out the dough as thinly as possible with a floured rolling pin.
    • Use a 5 or 6-inch round bowl or plate to cut discs from the dough by running the knife around the bowl. As you run out of dough, form it into a ball and roll it out again to cut more discs until all the dough is used.
      Cutting dough discs to make empanadas
    • Store or use immediately. Fill with no more than 2 tablespoons of preferred filling when ready to fill, to prevent bursting and make the empanadas easier to seal.
      Filling and Folding Caramel Apple Empanadas
    • Seal by rolling or pursing the edges with your fingers, or pressing down on the edges with the tines of a fork. Brush with egg wash (beaten egg mixed with water) for best results.

    Notes

    • Note: nutritional value is not calculated to include optional sugar.
    How to Make Empanada Dough without a Food Processor
    1. Using a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands, cut the cold cubed butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in the salt and give it a stir.
    2. Add water and egg and mix until it forms a dough. Knead to form a ball on the counter for about 5 minutes.
    3. Follow the instructions in the recipe card to roll out the dough and cut into discs. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 255IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword empanada dough, empanada dough recipe, empanadas dough, how to make empanada dough
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!

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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paul Enciso says

      August 30, 2021 at 5:54 pm

      There is no baking nor frying temperature given/ shown.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        August 31, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        Hi Paul! How long you cook them for varies depending on the filling. This is an easy dough recipe to use for empanada recipes of all kinds. For baking, that’s generally in the range of 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re frying them, you want the dough to be crispy golden-brown all over (but you most likely want your filling to be cooked already). Thank you for your question and I hope this helps!

        Reply
        • Ben says

          January 25, 2023 at 1:12 am

          Hi Isabel……the Empanada Dough recipe is fantastic!!! So easy plus soooo tasty! Two questions for you: could chopped green onions be added to the dough during the last dough machine pulse; and what other ingredient could be added to the “over-the-moon” tasty Shrimp Empanada filling? Fresh spinach leaves or possibly a small can (127ml/4.5oz) of Old El Paso chopped green chillies? Thank You so much and please keep these wonderful recipes coming !!!

          Reply
          • Em Beitel says

            March 06, 2023 at 2:39 pm

            Hi Ben! Thank you so much for your question! I checked with Isabel on this and although we think the green onions could be added to the dough, they might be better added to the filling. Not sure how well they would do mixed into the dough itself. As for the other ingredients, you could try adding spinach and green chilies, but we’ve never tried it so we’re not sure how the flavor would be! So glad you enjoy our recipes – please feel free to ask any other questions or leave a comment any time. Take care!

            Reply
    2. Megan says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:15 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve heard that some empanada recipes also include vinegar? Your thoughts?

      Thank you 🥟:).

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        January 21, 2022 at 10:59 am

        Hi Megan! I have heard vinegar makes the dough a bit easier to work with, but I personally haven’t faced any issues without it. If you’re going to include vinegar, use a very small amount – no more than 1 Tablespoon. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Charlene castillol says

      February 25, 2022 at 10:09 am

      Great recipes thank you

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 28, 2022 at 12:52 pm

        Thanks so much, Charlene!

        Reply

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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table!

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