Yield: 10 - 12 empanadas
Cinnamon Apple Empanadas
Sweet Cinnamon Apple Empanadas are just like mini apple pies! Flaky pastry dough is filled with tart Granny Smith apples, sugar, and cinnamon... It won't take more than one bite for you to fall in love with these homemade empanadas!
Ingredients
- 4 granny smith apples, peeled and roughly diced
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10-12 (6-inch) empanada dough
- 1 egg + 2 tablespoons water
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
- Add the apples to a medium sized pot over medium-high heat along with the sugar, water, butter and cinnamon. Stir to combine and let the apples cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. If the apples start to burn, add another tablespoon or two of water, as needed.
- Once the apples have softened and are reduced by half, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add two tablespoons of the apple filling to the center of an empanada circle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Fold the empanada in half and twist the edges to form a classic empanada look or use a fork to press the edges together.
- Add empanadas to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room for spreading. Whisk the egg and water together and brush it over the empanadas.
- Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the tops turn a light golden color.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool for five minutes before removing them and letting them cool for another 10 minutes on a cooling rack. (Be careful when removing the empanadas from the pan as some of the filling will have spilled out while baking.)
- Serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired!
Notes
Empanada Wrapper Note:
- You can use store bought empanada dough in place of my homemade empanada dough if you prefer to save time.
- You can also substitute pre-made, unbaked pie crust in a pinch. Just cut it into 6-inch circles, and adjust the baking time to 20 - 25 minutes, until light and golden on top.
How to Store and Reheat Pizza Empanadas
- You can store your empanadas in the refrigerator for up to five days, sealed in an airtight container or a large zip-top bag.
- I recommend reheating in the air fryer at 325°F for several minutes, rather than the oven. This helps them get really crispy, but the oven is fine, too!
Can I Freeze These?
- If you’d like to freeze them, it’s best to freeze them unbaked. Just wrap the assembled empanadas one by one in plastic wrap, and then in a layer of foil. Store in a freezer bag in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
- Frozen empanadas can be baked straight from the freezer! Just add an extra 5 minutes or so to the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 44mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g