Description
These caramel apple empanadas combine a flaky golden crust with a cinnamon-spiced apple filling and rich salted caramel sauce. Perfect for fall gatherings or as a cozy treat, they bring a fusion of traditional Hispanic pastry and seasonal autumn flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter (chilled, cut into cubes)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Cold Water
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
Filling
- 3 medium Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, diced into ½-inch cubes)
- 2 medium Honeycrisp Apples (peeled, cored, diced into ½-inch cubes)
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Other
- 1 Egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp Water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Cut in chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add cold water, mixing until the dough forms a ball.
- Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Make the Filling:
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add diced apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples soften and flavors meld.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Prepare the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and amber-colored.
- Carefully add butter and stir until fully combined.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in salt. Let cool.
- Assemble the Empanadas:
- Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness.
- Cut into circles using a 4-inch cutter.
- Place 1-2 tablespoons of apple filling in the center of each circle.
- Brush edges with water, fold over, and seal with a fork.
- Chill filled empanadas for 15 minutes.
- Bake:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush empanadas with egg wash.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve:
- Drizzle with salted caramel sauce and serve warm.
Notes
- Use a mix of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Honeycrisp) apples for balanced flavor.
- Freeze unbaked empanadas for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 empanada
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg