Easy Baked Apple Empanadas
These Easy Baked Apple Empanadas are filled with tender cinnamon apples and wrapped in a flaky pie crust. Using premade pie dough keeps this recipe simple, making them an easy fall dessert that’s perfect with a cup of coffee.
Reader Jesus Says: “Extremely easy, Delicious!” ★★★★★
Empanadas are essentially the Latin American version of a hand pie and can be filled with both sweet and savory fillings. If you like dessert empanadas, try my Sweet Potato Empanadas too.
I was able to get together with my foodie friend Belqui from Belqui’s Twist to make a YouTube video featuring dessert empanadas. We had so much fun making them together! Watch the episode to see what filling Belqui uses for her empanadas.
Ingredients
- Apples – I use a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for a balance of sweet and tart flavor.
- Brown Sugar – Sweetens the apples and adds a rich, caramel-like flavor as the filling cooks.
- Cinnamon – Adds warm spice that pairs perfectly with the apples.
- Lemon Juice – Adds a little brightness and balances the sweetness of the filling.
- Premade Pie Crust – A convenient shortcut that gives the empanadas a flaky, buttery crust. Thaw according to the package directions before using.
- Egg – Whisked and brushed over the empanadas before baking to give the crust a golden finish.
Follow the package directions for thawing the pie crust. You don’t want the dough to get too warm since it becomes softer and stickier as it warms up.
Apple Filling
- Peel and dice the apples, then place them in a skillet.
- Add the lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, or until the apples are soft and tender and the liquid has evaporated.
- Allow the apple filling to cool completely before assembling the empanadas.
How to Make Apple Empanadas
- Cut the dough. Unfold the pie crust and use a 3-inch round glass or small bowl to cut circles as close together as possible. Gather the leftover dough into a ball, roll it out again, and continue cutting circles.
- Roll the dough. You should get about 9 discs from one standard pie crust. Roll each disc until it’s about 6 inches in diameter. The dough should be thin since it will puff up while baking.
- Add the filling. Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of apple filling in the center of each dough disc, leaving enough room around the edges to seal the empanada.
- Fold and seal. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Seal the edges by crimping them with a fork or folding the edges over. It doesn’t have to look perfect, it just needs to be completely sealed.
- Chill the empanadas. Place the filled and sealed empanadas in the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 375°F.
- Vent the dough. Once the oven is preheated, use a knife to cut a few small slits in the top of each empanada. This allows steam to escape while they bake.
- Add the egg wash. Whisk one whole egg until smooth, then lightly brush it over the tops of the empanadas for a golden crust.
- Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before serving since the apple filling will be very hot.
Tips and Notes
- Keep the pie dough cool. If the dough gets too warm, it becomes sticky and harder to work with. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to roll it out.
- Cook off the excess liquid. The apple filling should be soft and tender with most of the liquid evaporated before assembling the empanadas.
- Cool the filling first. Adding hot filling can soften the pie dough and make the empanadas more difficult to seal.
- Don’t overfill. Leave enough room around the edges so you can get a tight seal and keep the filling inside while baking.
- Seal the edges well. Use a fork or fold the edges over to prevent the empanadas from opening in the oven.
- Don’t skip the vents. Small slits in the top allow steam to escape while the empanadas bake.
Apple Empanadas FAQs
I like using a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples because you get both sweet and tart flavors. Other firm baking apples that hold their shape when cooked can also work.
Yes. Homemade pie dough can be used instead of premade pie crust. Keep the dough chilled while working with it so it’s easier to roll, fill, and seal.
Yes. Let the empanadas cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container. Reheat them in the oven or toaster oven to help crisp the crust again.
Make Ahead and Storage
The apple filling can be made up to a couple of days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let it cool completely before storing.
Store leftover baked apple empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat them in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through to help bring back the crisp texture of the crust.
Serving Suggestions
Apple empanadas are delicious served warm or at room temperature. My favorite way to enjoy them is with a hot cup of coffee, or pair them with Mexican Hot Chocolate for a cozy dessert.
For an extra treat, serve the warm empanadas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
More Fall-Inspired Recipes:
Easy Baked Apple Empanadas
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Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Pie Crust Refrigerated or Frozen and thawed according to package directions
- 3 Honeycrisp Apples peeled and diced
- 2 Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Egg whisked for egg wash
Instructions
- Peel and dice apples into small even pieces. Place apples in a skillet over medium heat, and add lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Continue cooking, stirring periodically until liquid evaporates and apples have softened. You don't want the apple filling to have a lot of moisture. Remove from heat and allow to cool. You can also make this a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Thaw pie crust according to package directions.
- Use a cup or small bowl that is 3 in diameter. Unroll the pie crust and use the cup to cut out circles in the crust. Make them close together to use up all the space. Then roll the scraps back together into a ball and roll out again and repeat the process until you use all the dough.
- Take one dough disc and roll it out again to double in size, about 6 in diameter. Then take 2 heaping tablespoons of apple filling and place it in the center of the disc. Fold the dough over and seal the edges with a fork or create a seal by folding the edges over. Place on a baking sheet.
- Once all the empanadas are filled. Place them in the refirgerator while the oven pre-heats. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit
- Remove empanadas from the refrigerator. Take a knife and make 2 small slits across the top of each one for venting.
- Beat one egg until smooth and use a pastry brush to brush the tops of each empanada with the egg wash.
- Bake empanadas for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. The filling will be hot out of the oven. Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Excellent idea.
Extremely easy.
Delicious!
You’re awesome.
So Glad to hear you enjoyed them, thank you!!