Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe
Crazy about calabaza? Fall is finally here, which means it’s time to indulge in all things pumpkin.
What better way to satisfy your pumpkin cravings than with our two delicious pumpkin empanadas recipes?
Here’s the scoop on how to create this Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe two delicious ways. Get ready to make the best spooky masterpieces, step by step.
A History Lesson on la Empanada Mexicana
Empanadas, for those who may not be familiar, are a popular pastry that originated in Spain and can be found in various forms throughout Latin America.
These scrumptious turnovers are typically filled with a savory or sweet filling and are a staple in Mexican cuisine.
Mexican Pumpkin in Mexican Recipes
When it comes to Mexican dishes that use pumpkins, it’s not just about pumpkin pie. Looking to spice up your fall baking with a touch of Mexican flavor?
Pumpkins are widely used in Mexican cuisine, making appearances in various dishes such as soups, stews, and desserts.
From traditional Day of the Dead celebrations to everyday family meals, pumpkins play a versatile role in Mexican cooking.
They are the perfect way to capture the essence of fall with a Mexican twist.
Why It’s Time for You to Make Mexican Pumpkin Empanadas
Pumpkin empanadas, or empanadas de calabaza, are not only a delicious autumn treat, but also an important part of Mexican culinary heritage.
They showcase the rich flavors and warm spices that are synonymous with this vibrant culture.
A Tale of Two Empanadas de Calabaza
Here’s, not one, but two pumpkin empanadas recipes. One sweet and one savory, they are both SO incredibly simple to make.
Get ready to impress your friends and family with these delightful homemade treats!
For our dessert empanadas recipe, pumpkin-filled empanadas offer a delectable alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
These sweet empanadas use warm and fragrant pumpkin filling, made from pumpkin puree and a hint of spice, that takes center stage within a light and flaky pastry.
For our savory empanadas with cheese, the authentic Mexican filling can be made with just TWO ingredients!
Baked or fried, these empanadas are a Latin-American dish you do NOT want to sleep on.
Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe
You can make this recipe for pumpkin empanadas filled with pumpkin and traditional Mexican queso Mantecoso or sweet pumpkin empanada filling.
But the base for sweet or savory pumpkin hand pies is our empanada dough recipe.
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sweet Pumpkin Filling
- 2 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin, or 1 1/2 (15-oz) canned pure pumpkin
- 1 orange
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 egg for wash
Savory Pumpkin Filling
- 2 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin, or 1 1/2 (15-oz) canned pure pumpkin
- 3/4 cup Mantecoso cheese, shredded or diced
- olive oil for coating
- 1 egg for wash
- optional: salt, additional spices
Instructions
Preparation
- Add all ingredients to a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the mixture to a smooth surface and knead with your hands until a soft dough forms.
- Make a ball with the dough and place it in a bowl. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Remove the dough and place on a floured surface. Knead and make the dough into small balls.
- Roll out the dough. To shape it into wafers, put a bowl on top and mark the outline with a knife. Remove the excess dough and repeat until the dough is finished.
- Put the dumpling wafers, or masa de empanadillas casera, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- If using fresh pumpkin, boil until soft. Then, puree in food processor.
- Savory Empanadas
- Place the pumpkin filling, or canned pumpkin, on the hand pie dough wafers.
- Sprinkle the cheese over top of pumpkin mixture before folding one side of the pastry to meet the other side.
- Sweet Empanadas
- To make the filling sweet, mix pumpkin with a little of the zest and half of the juice from the orange, as well as the honey.
- Place the pumpkin mixture on the dough wafers before folding into dumplings.
- To close them, wet with water so that they stick well.
- Roll the dough decoratively at the edge or press around the edges of the empanada with a fork to seal.
- Coat in oil if desired (mostly for savory option), then egg wash.
Cooking
- Replace empanadas on the baking sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat when golden brown.
Serving
- Whether you intend to make this pumpkin empanada recipe a family recipe or party pleaser, everyone will thank you for sharing these baked pumpkin beauties.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t be tempted to fluff up your pastry dough with baking powder. It makes empanadas too fragile.
- If you prefer butter or shortening over oil for the pastry dough, then replace the olive oil with shortening if frying or butter if baking the empanadas.
- Adding dark brown sugar, ground clove, and a tiny pinch of anise to the sweet empanada filling can turn it into a kind of pumpkin pie filling for a less subtle sweetness. Pumpkin and cinnamon are also best mates.
- If you crave an even richer dessert, you can also make the dough sweet with a bit of pumpkin spice and brown sugar.
- The savory pumpkin empanadas are made milder than many Mexican dishes. For more bite, create a spiced pumpkin filling by adding diced or minced chipotle or habanero peppers.
- No Mantecoso cheese at the grocery store? Check your local tienda or substitute another buttery cheese like mozzarella or fontina.
Food for Thought
This pumpkin season, honor your ancestors with this easy recipe for the best pumpkin pastries.
Goodbye, pumpkin pie. Homemade pumpkin empanadas are the perfect autumn dessert. No other pumpkin recipes can compare.
So make like a pumpkin and light up this Samhain with our empanadas de calabaza in two tasty takes.
Savory or sweet? Let us know which you prefer in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok.
Printable Recipe Card
Pumpkin Empanadas Recipe
Two simple empanada pastry with pumpkin filling you won't be able to resist.
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Sweet Pumpkin Filling
- 2 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin, or 1 1/2 (15-oz) canned pure pumpkin
- 1 orange
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 egg for wash
Savory Pumpkin Filling
- 2 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin, or 1 1/2 (15-oz) canned pure pumpkin
- 3/4 cup Mantecoso cheese, shredded or diced
- olive oil for coating
- 1 egg for wash
- optional: salt, additional spices
Instructions
Preparation
- Add all ingredients to a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the mixture to a smooth surface and knead with your hands until a soft dough forms.
- Make a ball with the dough and place it in a bowl. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Remove the dough and place on a floured surface. Knead and make the dough into small balls.
- Roll out the dough. To shape it into wafers, put a bowl on top and mark the outline with a knife. Remove the excess dough and repeat until the dough is finished.
- Put the dumpling wafers, or masa de empanadillas casera, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- If using fresh pumpkin, boil until soft. Then, puree in food processor.
- Fill using one of two options below.
- To close them, wet with water so that they stick well.
- Roll the dough decoratively at the edge or press around the edges of the empanada with a fork to seal.
- Coat in oil if desired (mostly for savory option), then egg wash.
Savory Empanadas
- Place the pumpkin filling, or canned pumpkin, on the hand pie dough wafers.
- Sprinkle the cheese over top of pumpkin mixture before folding one side of the pastry to meet the other side.
Sweet Empanadas
- To make the filling sweet, mix pumpkin with a little of the zest and half of the juice from the orange, as well as the honey.
- Place the pumpkin mixture on the dough wafers before folding into dumplings.
Cooking
- Replace empanadas on the baking sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat when golden brown.
Serving
- Whether you intend to make this pumpkin empanada recipe a family recipe or party pleaser, everyone will thank you for sharing these baked pumpkin beauties.
Notes
- Don't be tempted to fluff up your pastry dough with baking powder. It makes empanadas too fragile.
- If you prefer butter or shortening over oil for the pastry dough, then replace the olive oil with shortening if frying or butter if baking the empanadas.
- Adding dark brown sugar, ground clove, and a tiny pinch of anise to the sweet empanada filling can turn it into a kind of pumpkin pie filling for a less subtle sweetness.
- If you crave an even richer dessert, you can also make the dough sweet with a bit of pumpkin spice and brown sugar.
- The savory pumpkin empanadas are made milder than many Mexican dishes. For more bite, create a spiced pumpkin filling by adding diced or minced chipotle or habanero peppers.
- No Mantecoso cheese at the grocery store? Check your local tienda or substitute another buttery cheese like mozzarella or fontina.
Feliz Día de los Muertos!
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