These fried apple empanadas are the perfect handheld dessert. Fried pie dough pockets filled with warm apple pie filling, dusted with cinnamon sugar and dipped into dulce de leche, what's not to love?!
If you loved McDonald's fried apple pies or the Taco Bell apple empanadas back in the day, you will love these sweet empanadas!
Lately, I've gotten really into combining American and Latin food. Two things I love are apple pie and my mom's empanadas. So I've decided to combine the two by making fried apple empanadas, using pie crust dough and homemade apple pie filling.
What are Empanadas?
Empanadas are a popular Latin American and Caribbean pastry that consists of a fried or baked dough filled with a savory or sweet filling. They are similar to pasties or turnovers in other cuisines.
There are many variations of empanadas, with different fillings and dough types depending on the region. Some common fillings include:
- Savory Fillings: Ground beef, chicken, pork, cheese, vegetables, seafood, and spices.
- Sweet Fillings: Fruit, dulce de leche, or other sweet treats.
The dough for empanadas can be made from flour, cornmeal, or a combination of both. It is often fried in oil or baked in the oven.
Empanadas are a versatile and delicious dish that can be enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or main course.
Why you'll love this Caramel Apple Empanada Recipe
- This is the perfect dessert for an after-school snack.
- This easy dessert recipe is great during the Fall season.
- These delicious treats can be prepared ahead of time and frozen.
- Great handheld pastry that's great for feeding a crowd
Apple Pie Empanandas Ingredients
- Cold butter cut into cubes
- All-purpose flour
- Sea salt
- Baking powder
- Sugar
- Cold water
- Gala apples
- Brown sugar or turbinado sugar
- Butter
- Fresh lime juice
- Ground Ceylon cinnamon
- Cornstarch
- Grated nutmeg
- Dulce de leche
- Milk
How to make Apple Empanadas
Make your homemade empanada dough
- Prepare the dough by placing the flour, baking powder, salt cold butter and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until the texture begins to look like big crumbs.
- Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time and pulse in the food processor until homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Remove the dough and knead the dough over a floured surface. Be sure not to overwork the dough. Then form the dough into a disk, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
- Let the dough cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Make your apple pie filling
- Peel and cut the apples into small cubes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add lime juice and stir so that all the apples are covered in juice to avoid browning.
- Place the apples, butter, cornstarch, sugar, pinch of nutmeg and Ceylon cinnamon in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Gently stir the apples for about 8-10 minutes until the sugar and cinnamon slurry begin to boil.
- Place the apples back in the medium mixing bowl and allow to cool completely.
Make the cinnamon apple empanadas
- Remove the dough from the fridge and start rolling it out with a rolling pin over a floured surface.
- Roll out the dough until the dough is about a half a centimeter thick. Be sure to move the dough around and keep flouring your surface to avoid it from sticking.
- Cut out 7 inch circles (I used a soup bowl) and place it on the emapanda maker.
4. Fill the dough with 2 tablespoons of cooled apple filling, lightly wet the edges with cold water and close the empanada maker to seal the edges. Make a small slit in the center of one side of the emapanda to allow the air to vent out while cooking.
5. Place the sealed apple empanadas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes, this will harden up the dough.
6. In a frying pan, place 1 cup of sunflower oil or vegetable oil then heat at medium high heat and allow the oil to reach 350 degrees.
7. Fry the empanadas in batches of at least three at a time, so the oil will maintain the right temperature. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
8. Once fried, move the empanadas to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Prepare the dulce de leche dipping sauce
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine the dulce de leche and milk. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute and stir until combined. Continue to cook at 1 minute intervals until you reach the desired consistency.
- Be sure to eat the fried apple empanadas nice and hot! If they get cold, you can microwave them for 10 seconds on high.
Variations and Substitutions for these dessert empanadas
Don't have access to Gala apples? Opt for tart Granny Smith apples instead.
Don't want to make your own pie crust dough? Opt instead for store-bought pie crust or use store bought empanada discs.
Not a fan of Dulce de leche? You can use caramel sauce or simply omit the dipping sauce and enjoy the fried apple handpies without it. You can also serve these hand pies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Don't have limes? use lemon juice instead.
Don't want to fry your empanadas? Opt instead for air fryer empanadas instead. Spray the empanadas with cooking spray or brush them with oil and air fry them at 350 for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Storage for these apple pie empanadas
Cooked apple empanadas can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for upto 3 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.
Uncooked empanadas can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for upto 2 months
Apple Empanada FAQs
Empanadas and turnovers are similar pastries with different regional origins. Empanadas are primarily Latin American, while turnovers are more common in European and North American cuisines. The main difference lies in the fillings and dough used.
Yes, you can make apple empanadas ahead of time. Assemble them and freeze them unbaked. When ready to serve, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
Absolutely! You can substitute apples with other fruits like pears, peaches, or berries. Just adjust the sweetness and spices accordingly.
Add cornstarch or all purpose flour to the apple filling to help thicken it.
Yes, you can use canned apple pie filling as a shortcut. However, making your own filling from fresh apples will give you more control over the sweetness and flavor.
Empanada crust and pie crust are similar but have some key differences:
- Ingredients: While both use flour, fat, and water as base ingredients, empanada crusts often include additional ingredients like cornmeal or lard, giving them a different texture and flavor.
- Thickness: Empanada crusts are typically thinner and more delicate than pie crusts.
Shape: Empanadas are shaped into half-moons or circles, while pies are often round or rectangular.
- Cooking: Empanadas are typically fried or baked, while pies are usually baked.
Overall, empanada crust and pie crust share some similarities but have distinct characteristics that make them unique.
To keep fried empanadas crispy, follow these tips:
- Drain thoroughly: After frying, remove the empanadas from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve immediately: Enjoy the empanadas while they are still hot and crispy. If you need to store them, follow the storage instructions below.
- Avoid stacking: Do not stack the empanadas on top of each other, as this can cause them to become soggy.
- Reheat carefully: If you need to reheat the empanadas, do so in a preheated oven or air fryer to maintain their crispiness.
Storage Tips:
- Cool completely: Allow the empanadas to cool completely before storing.
- Airtight container: Store the cooled empanadas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the empanadas individually on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container. Frozen empanadas can last for up to 3 months.
The best method for cooking empanadas depends on your personal preference and the type of dough you're using.
- Frying: Frying empanadas in hot oil gives them a crispy, golden brown exterior and a juicy, flavorful interior. This method is popular for traditional Latin American empanadas.
- Baking: Baking empanadas in a preheated oven is a healthier alternative to frying. It results in a slightly less crispy exterior but still delivers a delicious and satisfying treat.
Ultimately, both methods can produce delicious empanadas. Experiment with both to see which one you prefer!
Check out these other recipes
Apple Empanada
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 4 Tablespoons of cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 ¼ Cup of all-purpose flour
- ¼ Teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ Teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 ½ Teaspoons of sugar
- 4-5 Tablespoons of cold water
- Filling:
- 2 Large Gala apples peeled and cut into small pieces
- ¼ Cup of brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- ½ Teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Dulce De Leche Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ Cup of dulce de leche
- 3 Tablespoons of milk
Instructions
- Prepare the dough by placing the flour, baking powder, salt cold butter and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until the texture begins to look like big crumbs.
- Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time and pulse in the food processor until homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Remove the dough and knead the dough over a floured surface. Be sure not to overwork the dough. Then form the dough into a disk, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
- Let the dough cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling; Peel and cut the apples into small cubes and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add lime juice and stir so that all the apples are covered in juice to avoid browning.
- Place the apples, butter, sugar, pinch of nutmeg and Ceylon cinnamon in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Gently stir the apples for about 8-10 minutes until the sugar and cinnamon slurry begin to boil.
- Place the apples back in the medium mixing bowl and allow to cool completely.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and start rolling it out over a floured surface.
- Roll out the dough until the dough is about a half a centimeter thick. Be sure to move the dough around and keep flouring your surface to avoid it from sticking.
- Cut out 7 inch circles (I used a soup bowl) and place it on the emapanda maker.
- Fill the dough with 2 tablespoons of cooled apple filling, lightly wet the edges with cold water and close the empanada maker to seal the edges.
- Place the sealed apple empanadas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes, this will harden up the dough.
- In a frying pan, place 1 cup of sunflower oil or vegetable oil then heat at medium high heat. Allow the oil to reach 350 degrees
- Fry the empanadas in batches of at least three at a time, so the oil will maintain the right temperature. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
- Once fried, move the empanadas to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Be sure to eat the fried apple empanadas nice and hot! If they get cold, you can microwave them for 10 seconds on high.
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