Dessert empanadas are the ideal treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. Chocolate empanadas are filled with melted chocolate (aka nutella), are baked until golden brown and topped with powdered sugar. Let’s make this delicious recipe.
I love hand pies, empanadas, and pasties. Beef empanadas are not the only kind! They can be sweet (check out my apple empanadas) or savory and in this case, these chocolate empanadas are sweet with their Nutella filling. These delicious treats are ready in under an hour. Let’s make our chocolate empanadas. The perfect sweet treat!
WHAT ARE SWEET EMPANADAS?
Sweet empanadas, also known as “empanadas dulces” in Spanish, are a delightful and popular variation of the traditional savory empanadas. Empanadas are a type of pastry or turnover that originated in Spain and have been embraced by Latin America, South America, and Hispanic cultures. While savory empanadas are typically filled with ingredients like meat, vegetables, or cheese, sweet empanadas are filled with sweet fillings, making them a delicious dessert option.
There are numerous types of sweet empanadas, each with its own unique flavor and ingredients. Here are some popular types of sweet empanadas from various Latin American and Spanish-speaking regions:
- Dulce de Leche Empanadas: These empanadas are filled with dulce de leche, a sweet caramel-like sauce made from sweetened condensed milk. They are rich, creamy, and sweet.
- Fruit Empanadas: These empanadas are filled with various fruits, either fresh, cooked, or in the form of jams and preserves. Common fruit fillings include apple, peach, guava, pineapple, and strawberry.
- Chocolate Empanadas: These empanadas are filled with chocolate in various forms, such as chocolate chips, chocolate ganache, or even Nutella. They are a chocolate lover’s delight.
- Sweet Potato Empanadas: Sweet potato is a popular filling for sweet empanadas. The sweet and earthy flavor of mashed or candied sweet potatoes works wonderfully inside a flaky pastry.
- Cream Cheese Empanadas: Cream cheese, often sweetened with sugar, can be used as a filling for a creamy and slightly tangy flavor.
- Nut Empanadas: Nuts like chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts can be combined with sweet ingredients like honey or caramel to create nut-filled empanadas.
- Cinnamon Sugar Empanadas: These empanadas are simple but delicious. They are filled with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, which creates a sweet and spiced flavor.
- Ricotta and Honey Empanadas: A creamy ricotta cheese filling combined with a drizzle of honey creates a delightful sweet and savory contrast.
- Cheese and Guava Empanadas: A combination of sweet guava paste and cream cheese is a classic filling that offers a balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
- Pumpkin Empanadas: Pumpkin puree, often sweetened and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, can be used as a filling for a fall-inspired treat.
- Coconut Empanadas: These empanadas feature shredded coconut mixed with sugar for a tropical and sweet flavor.
- Lemon or Lime Empanadas: Citrus curd or lemon/lime filling can be used to create a tart and sweet empanada.
These are just a few examples, and the possibilities for sweet empanada fillings are limited only by your imagination and regional traditions. Whether baked or fried, sweet empanadas are a delightful treat enjoyed by people in many parts of the world.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE
Baking Tray (or cookie sheet)
Rolling pin (or a tortilla press)
parchment paper (or wax paper)
Food processor– I do not use an electric mixer just a food processor
Pastry Brush
FRYING VS BAKING:
Often, empanadas are fried but when you want a healthier version, they are baked. You can deep fry these if you want but be sure to use a clear oil like vegetable oil or canola oil. Do this in a heavy bottom pot, and fry until golden brown.
INGREDIENTS FOR chocolate EMPANADAS:
Pie Dough: You can use a store bought pie dough or make your own. I use my gluten free pastry dough recipe. It is a flaky dough and is my go-to for these types of recipes.
Nutella: In this recipe, I use nutella for the filling rather than actual chocolate. It is quick and easy to use and yields a great flavor.
Powdered Sugar (icing sugar): Powdered sugar is our sweet topping for our finished empanadas
Egg: Egg is used for an egg wash to coat the pie crust
HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE chocolate EMPANADAS?
Set oven to 350°F
First make your dough: if you are making homemade empanada dough and want to use my recipe, use my gluten free pastry dough recipe. Put the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it comes together. Set it aside.
Bring them together: in a tortilla press (or between two pieces of parchment paper) divide dough, place a ball of dough. If using a tortilla press, place between the pieces of parchment, and then into the press. Push down and get it to the thickness you desire. If using a rolling pin, roll it out to the thickness you like.Place the Nutella (along the center) onto the empanada discs. Fold it over and use a fork to press the edges together to seal it. Place each empanada on a prepared baking sheet (large baking sheets if you want to get all onto the same sheet). They should look like a half moon when they are folded over.
Cover in egg wash: In a bowl, crack an egg and whisk. Using a pastry brush, brush the empanadas with it and. then place turbinado sugar on top of each empanada. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check to see how golden they are. Baking time is up to 30 minutes. However use your discretion if you feel they are done at 20 minutes, take them out of the oven.
Remove from the oven: and cover in powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy.
HOW DO YOU STORE THESE Chocolate EMPANADAS:
In an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days. Icing you can also store on the counter or in the fridge.
Notes about this recipe:
Despite this being a recipe for chocolate empanadas, there is no cocoa powder in this recipe or chocolate dough. This is one of my favorite easy recipes and holds a special place in my heart because of how easy it is to make.
You can make the dough ahead of time. If you are using my original recipe, you can cover the dough in plastic wrap (or an eco-friendly alternative) and place in the fridge for a few days until you would like to use it. Allow it to come to room temperature when you want to use it.
Alterations or Additions:
If you wanted to add fresh berries with the chocolate filling you could to brighten up the flavor a bit. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you could add peanut butter as well. If you want to amp up the chocolate as well you could cover these delicious empanadas with a chocolate drizzle instead of the powdered sugar. For the inside, you could also add coarse crumbs of heath bits! There are so many fun options of what you can add into this to make it the best snack.
LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW!
Did you love this recipe? If you did, let me know! And let others know too by leaving a comment and star rating. Reviews are incredibly useful in helping other people find my site and make my recipes. Thank you so much!
Laura
FIND MORE OF MY FAVORITE TART RECIPES BELOW
Chocolate Empanadas Recipe: How to Make this Easy Dessert
Equipment
- 1 Pastry Brush
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Tortilla Press optional
- 1 Rolling Pin Optional
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 Egg 1 is for dough, 1 is for egg wash
- 8 tablespoon Butter Cold – this is for the dough
- 1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Flour for the dough
- 4 tablespoon Turbinado Sugar Topping
- ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar Topping
- ½ Cup Nutella Filling
Instructions
- Set oven to 350°F
- First make your dough: if you are making homemade empanada dough and want to use my recipe, use my gluten free pastry dough recipe. Put the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it comes together. Set it aside.
- Bring them together: in a tortilla press (or between two pieces of parchment paper) divide dough, place a ball of dough. If using a tortilla press, place between the pieces of parchment, and then into the press. Push down and get it to the thickness you desire. If using a rolling pin, roll it out to the thickness you like. Place the Nutella (along the center) onto the empanada discs. Fold it over and use a fork to press the edges together to seal it. Place each empanada on a prepared baking sheet (large baking sheets if you want to get all onto the same sheet). They should look like a half moon when they are folded over.
- Cover in egg wash: In a bowl, crack an egg and whisk. Using a pastry brush, brush the empanadas with it and. then place turbinado sugar on top of each empanada. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check to see how golden they are. Baking time is up to 30 minutes. However use your discretion if you feel they are done at 20 minutes, take them out of the oven.
- Remove from the oven: and cover in powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy.
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