Try something new this pumpkin season by making these Pumpkin Empanadas! These sweet empanadas take even less time to make than traditional Mexican empanadas, and the result is so delicious.
Similar to pumpkin pasties, pumpkin empanadas are the PERFECT way to get your pumpkin fix!
What is an empanada?
Empanadas, also known as turnovers, are pastries you fill with different kinds of stuffing: fruits, vegetables, meat or cheese. The word “empanada” in Spanish literally means something coated in bread.
You can bake or fry empanadas, and both fried empanadas and baked empanadas are equally delicious! You can also fill them however you would like: they can be savory or you can make dessert empanadas, like this pumpkin variety.
Baked empanadas are very popular in Latin America, and have grown recently in popularity in the U.S. for how tasty they are. If you have yet to try an empanada, now is the time! They are easy to make and are a real treat!
Pumpkin Empanada Ingredients
Empanada ingredients are simple and easy to find, especially in this pumpkin empanada recipe. You will need just a few ingredients for the empanada dough and the empanada filling. Here is what you need:
Empanada dough ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, cold (2 sticks)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 Tbsp. ice cold water
Note: If you would like to save yourself some time, you can also use Goya empanada discs or ready-made pie dough!
Empanada filling ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ground cloves
Empanada Topping ingredients:
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- brown sugar for sprinkling
How to Make Empanadas with Pumpkin
Homemade empanadas are easy to make and well worth it for how delicious they are. Here are the steps for this easy empanada recipe:
- To make Empanada filling: Mix the pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, a spoonful of butter, and the spices over medium heat. When the mixture thickens, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, before adding the egg. Refrigerate before using.
- How to make empanada dough: Combine flour, butter, white sugar, baking powder and one egg in a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until a ball is formed. Refrigerate the dough as well.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough and cut circles out of it. Add filling into each circle then fold the circle into a half-moon shape and close it tightly.
- Arrange the empanadas on a baking tin lined with parchment paper. Brush them with a beaten egg and sprinkle brown sugar on top.
- Bake until golden brown (20-30 minutes) and enjoy!
If you skip making the empanada dough yourself, we recommend using either Goya empanada dough (discos) or ready-made pie dough. Follow the directions for making the filling and how to assemble the empanadas, skipping the step for making the dough.
Sealing the Empanada Filling: Repulgue
Sealing the empanadas can be so easy but you can also get fancy with it. For many, sealing empanadas has become an art form!
After folding the dough, add 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of filling. Then pinch the edges closed tightly. I like to pull and fold the dough inward along the edge to create a rope-like pattern.
They can also be sealed simply by using a fork to crimp the dough. Whichever technique is used, the important part is to make sure the dessert empanadas are completely closed along the edges to keep that apple caramel filling inside.
The artsy sealed edges that some people have fun with are called repulgue. We love going all out on the edges but also understand time is of the essence.
Sometimes a simple grabbing a fork and giving the edges a simple crimp works just fine. You can even just press them down with your fingers firmly. This will also do the trick!
What to Serve with Dessert Empanadas
Homemade empanadas are perfect to eat on their own, just a few minutes after letting cool out of the oven. They go well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Caramel sauce would be also a good choice. You can also serve them alongside other sweet empanadas, like our Caramel Apple Empanadas, for a Fall spread!
The best drink to accompany these wonderful pumpkin turnovers is a cup of coffee or hot milk with honey and cinnamon.
If you want to see more empanadas recipes, here are a couple savory options for you to try:
📌 Pin Pumpkin Empanadas to save for later!
More Easy Pumpkin Recipes
Love pumpkin? We do, too! For the best pumpkin recipes, try:
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
- Pumpkin Juice Recipe
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake Dessert
- No Bake Pumpkin Cookies
- Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
- Pumpkin Cobbler with Spiced Butter Toffee
- Pumpkin Waffle Recipe
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Easy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
- Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Did you enjoy these pumpkin empanadas? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know! We love to hear from you!
Pumpkin Empanadas
🥘 Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter cold (2 sticks)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 Tbsp. ice cold water
For the filling:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ground cloves
For the topping:
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- brown sugar for sprinkling
🔪 Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a food processor combine flour, sugar, butter and baking powder. Pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add egg and the water (start with 1 tbs and add more, if needed). Pulse until a soft dough forms into a ball.
- Take the dough out of the food processor and knead it just a little bit, to make sure all the ingredients are mixed well. Cover it with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the filling:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat mix all ingredients except the egg. Stir until the mixture starts simmering. Lower the heat and let simmer for few minutes until the liquid is reduced. Continue stirring to avoid burning.
- Remove from heat and let cool 5-10 minutes. Add the egg and stir until absorbed. Refrigerate the filling for 30-60 minutes. If you want to speed up the process, leave it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- On a flowered surface or between two sheets of parchment paper roll the dough into a thin sheet. Use a big round cutter, a tea cup or a round can to cut circles. Place some of the filling in the middle of one circle. Fold the circle into a half-moon shape. Press well the edges to avoid leaking: use a fork or make folds to resemble a rope.
- Arrange the prepared empanadas on a baking tin lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- If you don’t have time to make the dough, you can use frozen Goya Discos, instead. Thaw them by transferring them to the fridge at least 4 hours before starting to prepare the empanadas.
Nutrition
This post was updated o 10/27/2019.
jordin says
This recipe looks super delicious!