Baked Pumpkin Empanadas are a warm and comforting treat featuring flaky, golden pastry filled with a spiced pumpkin mixture that’s lightly sweetened and aromatic with cinnamon and cloves. Perfect for fall, these handheld pies offer a cozy blend of sweet and savory flavors. Enjoy them as a festive dessert, snack, or even a unique addition to holiday gatherings.
Baked Pumpkin Empanadas
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
- 1 egg
FILLING
- 1 cup unsweetened pure pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or piloncillo
- 1 tsp heavy cream or half and half
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
TOPPING
- 1 egg white beaten with 1 Tbsp water (for brushing)
- 1 tbsp white sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon sugar (for sprinkling, if desired)
Instructions
DOUGH
- Place the flour and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Add the butter cubes and pulse until combined. Add the egg and pulse until combined. Add the ice cold water, a little at a time, pulsing between additions, until a coarse dough begins to form.
- Transfer the dough onto the counter and knead it until a smooth ball of dough comes together, 2-4 minutes.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour (not over 24 hours) to relax the gluten.
FILLING
- In a medium bowl, add all of the filling ingredients. Mix until combined. Taste and adjust the sweetness or seasoning as desired. Cover and set aside until you are ready to put the empanadas together.
ASSEMBLY & BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Divide the dough into 2 halves. Then, divide each half into 8, roughly even sections (so you have 18 small balls).
- Roll each ball of dough out to a 4 inch disc.
- Fill the circle of dough with 1 Tbsp of pumpkin filling.
- Wet your finger with a little water and use it to moisten the edge of the dough around the filling. Fold the circle of dough in half over the filling, to create a filled half-circle. Press the edges together firmly to seal.
- If desired, crimp (repulgue) the edges by twisting and folding the sealed edge over itself (see the video above). Or, crimp the edges as you would any pie crust.
- Place the sealed and crimped empanadas onto a greased, aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the empanadas with an egg wash made from 1 egg white beaten with 1 Tbsp water. If desired, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over top of the empanadas.
- Bake the empanadas for 20 minutes, or until golden.
- Removed the baked empanadas from the oven and let them cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
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