Baked Apple Empanadas: Easy Empanada (Hand Pies) Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Baked Apple Empanadas: Easy Empanada (Hand Pies) Recipe

This recipe for homemade apple empanadas is quick, easy, and super delicious. It can easily be modified to make the Taco Bell inspired caramel apple empanadas as well! Let’s make our dessert empanadas.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Portuguese, South American, Spanish

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: Empanadas

Calories: 287kcal

Author: Laura Sirkovsky-Kauffman

Equipment

1 Food Processor
1 Tortilla Press
1 Heavy Bottom Pot
1 Pastry Brush
1 Rolling Pin
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

3 Honeycrisp Apples
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1 ½ Cup Gluten Free Flour I use Cup4Cup
8 tablespoon Butter cold- for crust
2 Eggs 1 for pie dough, 1 for egg wash
½ Cup Powdered Sugar for glaze
3 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 tablespoon Water for cornstarch mixture
2 tablespoon Salted Caramel Syrup for glaze

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.
Make the filling: Cut up the apples into small pieces and place in a heavy bottom pot. On medium heat, add the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Allow the apples to break down. They won’t get super mushy but they will be soft. The juices from the diced apples along with the sugar will be getting very sticky and bubbling. This should take around 15-20 minutes. At this point, mix the cornstarch and water together in a separate bowl and pour it into the pot. Stir for a few more minutes then remove from the heat and set the apples into a bowl.
Bring them together: in a tortilla press (or between two pieces of parchment paper) place a ball of the empanada 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. Scoop some of the filling onto the empanada discs. Fold it over and use a fork to press the edges together to seal it.
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.
Make the glaze: in a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salted caramel syrup. Whisk until it comes together. If it is too thick, add more water.
Remove from the oven: and cover in the glaze. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

You can use whatever dough you like but I have linked the one I used.

Nutrition