Mexican Pumpkin Empanada Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

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Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Author: What's Cooking America

Empanada:

• Egg Wash(made by whisking 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water)
• 1/2teaspooncinnamon,ground
• 1/4cup granulatedsugar

Pastry Dough:

• 7tablespoonsbutter
• 3tablespoonsvegetable shorteningor lard
• 2cups all-purposeflour
• 1teaspoonsalt
• 1tablespoonswater,ice cold
• 1largeegg

Pumpkin Filling:

• 2tablespoonsbutter
• 1firmly-packed cup darkbrown sugar
• 1cuppumpkin puree*
• 1teaspooncinnamon,ground
• 1/8teaspooncloves,ground
• Orange zest(rind) of half an orange, grated

Empanada Instructions:

1. Prepare oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

2. Prepare Pastry Dough; refrigerate.

3. Prepare Pumpkin Filling; set aside and let cool.

4. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar; set aside.

5. Take the chilled Pastry Dough from the refrigerator and divide it into half. Divide one of the halves into eight (8) pieces. Return the other half of the Pastry Dough to the refrigerator to keep chilled until you are ready for it.

6. On a floured board, roll each of the eight pieces into a circle about 4 inches across and 1/8-inch thick. Fill each of these circles with a generous tablespoons of the cooled Pumpkin Filling. Fold the circle into a half-moon shape enclosing filling. Using a fork, press down the edges into a crimped border. Not only will this look nice, it will help keep the empanada closed after baking. With a pastry brush, paint the top with the Egg Wash.

7. Once you have assembled the first eight (8) empanadas and placed them on the prepared baking sheet, remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and follow the same above instructions.

8. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until tops are golden and the edges are lightly browned.

9. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar immediately after removing from the oven.

10. The assembled pumpkin-filled Empanadas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month before using. If frozen, increase baking time to 20 to 25 minutes. These may also be baked 1 day ahead. Before serving, warm in a 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

11. Makes 14 to 16 empanadas.

Pastry Dough Instructions:

1. Place butter and vegetable shortening or lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove from freezer and cut both into small pieces.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fit with the cutting blade, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times.

3. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy and it is blended uniformly.

4. Add cold vegetable shortening or lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Remove lid of food processor and pour in the ice water and egg. Replace lid and pulse 5 times. Stop to scrape down the sides and process for another 5 pulses. The dough should hold together when clinched in your fist.

5. Place mixture in a large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, press into a rounded disk, and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

   

Pumpkin Filling Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; stir in the brown sugar. Let this heat for a few minutes until the brown sugar is dissolved into the butter. Stir in the pumpkin and the spices. Continue to stir over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or long enough that the pumpkin begins to stiffen and hold its shape. Test this by picking up a small amount in a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the orange peel.

2. Allow the Pumpkin Filling to cool completely in the refrigerator before continuing to assembling your empanadas. A hot or warm filling will make working with your dough very difficult.