Are you wondering what an empanada is? An empanada is a Latin American pastry turnover that can be filled with a variety of ingredients. They are either baked or fried.
Empanadas are usually shaped into a half moon. They are filled with delicious filling and folded over with the edges pinched tight. The sizes vary from bite-sized to Calzone size. We made this copycat recipe from a restaurant here in Utah called Taco Time. They roll their empanadas.
Related Recipe: Be sure to try the Best Pumpkin Roll Recipe. It’s a family favorite.
Empanada fillings
The options are endless on what you can stuff into your empanada. Here are some of our favorites.
- Cherry pie filling
- Apple pie filling
- Jam (any flavor)
- Nutella
- Cheese
- Meat
- Seafood
You wouldn’t want to roll the meat and cheese ones in the sugar/cinnamon mixture.
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What is empanada dough made of?
Our copycat pumpkin empanadas are made with a flour tortilla. But the authentic ones are made with a savory dough. The dough is softer using milk instead of water. It is the dough they use for traditional empanadas.
Some people that don’t want to use a tortilla or make their own dough for empanadas will often use a puff pastry dough. There are many shortcuts you can take and still enjoy the delicious empanada taste.
Can you bake an empanada instead of frying?
You can bake the empanada instead of frying. Deep frying is the traditional way to prepare an empanada. But baking would be a healthier option.
To bake an empanada, you will need to heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush the empanadas with oil before baking. Place them all on a parchment lined baking sheet. For meat and cheese empanadas, you can coat the dough with an egg wash before baking. Bake until golden brown and heated through.
How to make pumpkin empanadas
With just a few ingredients, you can enjoy these pumpkin empanadas.
- Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until well blended.
- Then add in the pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Place about 1/3 of the pumpkin filling in the center of each tortilla.
- Spread the filling around the tortilla, but staying about 1/2 inch away from the edge.
- Roll up the tortilla and secure with a toothpick so it will stay closed during cooking.
- Place each empanada in a pan full of vegetable oil.
- Cook for about 1-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place on paper towels to absorb the extra grease.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a plate and roll each hot empanada in the mixture.
- Serve with whipping cream on top or on the side for dipping.
Helpful items for making pumpkin empanadas:
- Mixing Bowls – these bowls come in 3 sizes and are used for mixing and serving.
- Stock Pot – a great pot for making soup or deep frying your empanadas.
- Tongs – these tongs are great for pulling your empanadas out of the hot oil.
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More tasty pumpkin treats:
Check out all of these delicious pumpkin treats for your holiday parties:
- Buttermilk Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Oreos
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Taco Time Copycat Pumpkin Empanada Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 package, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 8 large flour tortillas ( 8 or 9 inch)
Sugar Coating
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅙ cup cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add in pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Place 1/3 of mixture into the center of each tortilla. Spread around the whole tortilla getting 1/2 inch from the edge of the tortilla.
- Place 1/3 of mixture into the center of each tortilla. Spread around the whole tortilla getting 1/2 inch from the edge of the tortilla.
- Roll up carefully and secure with a toothpick.
- Place each empanada into a pan full of vegetable or canola oil that is heated to 325 -350 degrees.
- Fry until golden brown, turning so both sides cook.
- Place on a paper towel to drain grease.
- Remove toothpick after frying.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a plate with sides.
- Roll the hot empanada in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated on all sides.
- Top the empanada with whipped cream, or you can dip it in the whipped cream.
Video
Notes
- You can bake them too! Place them in a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and moisten them with water on your fingertips. Just enough so that when you roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture it will stick to the tortilla.
Nutrition
Equipment
Recipe Details
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Questions & Reviews
Thanks for sharing.
Candy
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