Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe
User Reviews
4.4
Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe
Description
The recipe begins by cooking butter and brown sugar until smooth, then adding pumpkin puree and cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Stirred over heat until thick enough, the filling is then chilled to set. Meanwhile, the dough is made by cutting shortening into dry ingredients, then combining eggs, milk, and sugar, kneading to develop a pliable dough and chilling before shaping.
The dough is rolled out and cut into rounds, filled with the chilled pumpkin mixture, folded over, and sealed. Baking produces golden pastries with a flaky crust encasing the aromatic pumpkin filling, presenting a seasonal treat with a balance of sweetness and spice.
The empanadas can be served warm or at room temperature. Their size and flavor make them suitable for snacks, desserts, or festive occasions.
Filling can be prepared up to one week ahead and refrigerated. The empanadas freeze well, especially if assembled and frozen before baking, allowing convenient thawing and baking later. Baked empanadas can also be frozen, though crust texture may be affected. Substitutions for pumpkin puree include other winter squash or mashed sweet potatoes, and alternative fillings like apple butter can be used.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed firmly
- 1 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves ground
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Empanada Dough:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shortening
- 2 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Make Pumpkin Filling:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves with the butter. Stir in the pumpkin and the spices. Continue to stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Make sure the filling is not too watery; otherwise let it cook for a couple more minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool down. After it’s cooled off for about 15 minutes, put the filling in the refrigerator to help it set for 30 minutes or overnight.
- You can make the Empanada Dough while the filling is cooling off.
Make Empanada Dough:
- Mix the first 3 dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening with the dry ingredients. Works better if you use your hands.
- Add the eggs, milk and sugar. Continue to work in with your hands. Split the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes. Take out one half of the dough and split it into 12-18 balls of dough. Depending on how small you want your empanadas. I prefer one dozen per half of the dough. They also fit nicely on one large cookie sheet.
Assemble and Bake Empanadas:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You can fill your empanadas with any preserves made ahead of time.
- Roll out the dough into small round circles. Add a small dollop of filling on one half of the rolled out dough. Wet the bottom edge of the dough with water or milk to help seal the two halves. Fold over the dough to seal. Seal off the edges with a fork by pressing down along the two edges. This also makes for a pretty pattern when baked.
- Brush each empanada with egg whites, sprinkle with sugar and puncture each empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or place the empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes on medium rack in the oven. If after 15 minutes you notice the bottoms of the empanadas starting to brown, move the cookie sheet to the top rack and continue to bake for the last 5 minutes.
Notes
- Prepare the pumpkin filling up to one week in advance; refrigerate covered.
- These empanadas are tasty warm or at room temperature; reheating in a toaster oven is recommended for crispness.
- Alternative fillings such as acorn or butternut squash puree, or apple butter, can be used instead of pumpkin.
- For freezing, assemble filled empanadas on a tray before baking; bake from frozen, adding extra time as needed; frozen unbaked empanadas keep up to three months.
- Baked empanadas can also be frozen, but this may affect crust flakiness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24empanadas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 142 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 142kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 17mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 67mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 71mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 64IU | 1% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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