READY IN 1 hr

Mexican Pumpkin Empanadas

Read Reviews (26)

"My take on a traditional pumpkin empanada! Adjust all spices to your taste." — Esther Saunders

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt together. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs; stir the water in, about 2 tablespoons at a time, just until you can gather the dough together. Knead the dough a few times in the bowl, then scrape it out onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in quarters, and cut each quarter into thirds to make 12 equal portions. Roll the portions into balls. Cover the dough balls with a cloth, and allow to rest while you make the filling.
Mix the pumpkin, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together until smooth. On a floured surface, roll each dough ball out into a thin circle about 6 inches across; spoon about 1/3 cup of filling into the center of the dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to make a half-moon shaped pie, and crimp the edges of the crust together with a fork, leaving little fork lines in the dough. Gently lay the empanadas onto the prepared baking sheets. Brush the top of each pie with beaten egg.
Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is hot and the crusts are shiny and browned, about 20 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 40 mins
COOK 20 mins
READY IN 1 hr

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 28, 2010

A correction is needed it the Directions. 1/4 tsp baking powder needs o the dry ingredients. I almost missed putting that in! These turned out great. I used one large can of pumpkin, instead of 4 cups. just like an other reveiwer had mentioned. Everything else I kept the same, but next time I am going to try the cinnamon in the pastry dough!

—QUILTINGMAMASITA

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Nov 19, 2011

This recipe is a good base to start from, but I reccomend several changes. First, it is much easier to use pre-made dough or a pie crust. Second, try mixing more cinnamon and some nutmeg into the filling mixture. I also added sweetened cream cheese into the filling, and after they were done baking I made a thin carmel icing that I dipped them into after they cooled. It hardened on the outside and took the "boredom" out of the crust.

—j1a9k7e9

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29 Ratings

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Nov 30, 2010

I've wanted to try making empanadas for a long time but my grandmother passed away before I was interested in learning how to make them. This recipe was easy & came out great! I added cinnamon to the dough because I remembered grandma doing that and used one large can of pumpkin instead of 4 cups. Great reviews from everybody who's eaten them!

—mspris

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Jan 03, 2011

I added some ground cinnamon to the flour mixture like a couple of other reviewers, 5 tsp. of it. I used butter instead of shortening and I used 4 cups of sweet potato that I wanted to use up, instead of pumpkin. Sweet potato and pumpkin taste the same to me anyway. Don't forget the 1/4 tsp of baking powder which is omitted in the directions. When the empanadas first came out of the oven the taste of ginger was over powering, but by the next day the flavors had melded and the flavors were just right.

—~X~

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Dec 27, 2010

Basic but delicious recipe. I decided to add some ground cinnamon into the dough for a bit more color/flavor and they came out great, my friends and family ate them all within 2 days.

—~SugarSkulls~

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Jan 24, 2011

Used pre-made refrigerated pie crust. Dusted with powdered sugar.

—Tiffany462

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Sep 06, 2012

There's a reason there's a dough recipe here people; it's not just a pie crust. The dough is much more spongy and sweet than pie crust, so no wonder those who use premade crusts are returning less-than-stellar reviews. This is a great recipe, and tastes almost exactly like my mom's empanadas. I used butter instead of shortening, and cut it down to about 3/4 cup because the dough felt right to me then. Also cut my empanadas a little smaller and ended up with some extra filling, but that's okay with me as it gives me an excuse to make more empanadas. :-)

—SEYRAH

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Mar 01, 2011

Delicious! Since moving from CA to the midwest we miss our local mexican bakery and have been trying to find a recipe that is similiar to the pumpkin empanadas we would order by the dozen. This is the first recipe that comes close. Love them!

—breezeinmo

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Nutrition

Calories
384 kcal
19%

Carbohydrates
52.3 g
17%

Cholesterol
53 mg
18%

Fat
18.6 g
29%

Fiber
3.3 g
13%

Protein
5.5 g
11%

Sodium
710 mg
28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Mexican Pumpkin Empanadas

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 384
Calories from Fat: 167

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18.6g 29 %
Saturated Fat 4.8g 24 %
Cholesterol 53mg 18 %
Sodium 710mg 28 %
** Potassium 190mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrates 52.3g 17 %
Dietary Fiber 3.3g 13 %
Protein 5.5g 11 %
Sugars 26g
Vitamin A 255 %
Vitamin C 6 %
Calcium 5 %
Iron 29 %
** Thiamin 3 %
Niacin 19 %
** Vitamin B6 4 %
** Magnesium 8 %
Folate 31 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.