Pumpkin Empanadas
These easy pumpkin empanadas are a twist on the classic Mexican dessert, and are made with pizza dough (instead of empanada dough) and a creamy pumpkin filling.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 199kcal
- 2 sheets pizza dough This recipe is based on rectangular-shaped dough-- if your dough is pre-formed as a circle, you may get fewer empanadas per sheet of dough.
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 eggs, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1 ounce cream cheese
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt, plain (whole milk)
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Fill Empanadas:
Add pumpkin, 1 egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream cheese, yogurt, and maple syrup to a blender basin, and blend until smooth.Tip: Use a small blender if possible. Some large blenders may struggle to blend the small amount of pumpkin filling. Alternatively, soften cream cheese for 15-20 seconds in the microwave, and whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth. Remove empanada dough from the fridge.
Add about 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin filling to the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough in half, and press down with your fingers to close the empanadas. Next, use the back of a spoon, or the tines of a fork, and press down on the edges of the empanadas to seal them.Tip: Pizza dough will poof up more while baking than empanada dough (more like a calzone), so sealing the empanadas is more about closing them very carefully than creating a decorative pattern. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Next, brush the tops and edges of each empanada with the beaten egg, paying special attention to the sealed opening. (The egg will help seal them shut.) Sprinkle the tops of the empanadas with sugar.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make Ahead / Refrigerate:Loosely wrap the empanadas in aluminum foil, and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.Make Ahead / Freeze:Tightly wrap the empanadas in plastic wrap, and then put them in an airtight container. Use within 1 month. Reheat by microwaving in 1-minute bursts for 2-3 minutes, or baking at 300°F until hot.
Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2454IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg