Description
Caramel apple empanadas blend Mexican pastry traditions with sweet autumn flavors. Crisp pastry pockets filled with spiced apple and rich caramel create a delightful dessert you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks (about 4 cups)
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 11.6 ounces (328 grams) (5-inch) empanada dough
Filling and Mixture Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (355 milliliters) water
- ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar (for coating)
- ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) sugar
Oil and Coating Ingredients:
- 1 ½ – 2 cups (355-475 milliliters) vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Craft a glossy, thickened apple sauce by whisking water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice over gentle heat until the mixture transforms into a silky, consistent texture.
- Fold chopped apples into the sauce, allowing them to simmer and soften while absorbing the aromatic spices, creating a luscious filling with tender fruit pieces.
- Whip cream cheese into a cloud-like consistency, incorporating sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Carefully position empanada dough discs on a clean work surface, creating delicate pockets of flavor by layering cream cheese mixture and spiced apple filling at the center of each disc.
- Delicately seal the empanadas by moistening dough edges with water, gently folding into half-moon shapes, and crimping borders with a fork to ensure secure closure.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to precise frying temperature, transforming the pastries into golden-brown delicacies through careful, even cooking.
- Drain freshly fried empanadas on paper towels to remove excess oil, preserving their crisp exterior.
- Develop a fragrant cinnamon sugar coating by thoroughly blending ground cinnamon and granulated sugar.
- While empanadas remain warm, generously roll them in the spiced sugar mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Elevate the dessert by artfully drizzling caramel sauce over the finished empanadas, creating an indulgent final touch before serving.
Notes
- Prep smart by having all ingredients measured and ready before starting the cooking process.
- Maintain consistent oil temperature around 375°F to ensure even golden-brown frying without burning.
- Handle dough carefully when sealing edges to prevent filling from leaking during frying.
- Allow empanadas to cool slightly on paper towels to absorb excess oil before coating with cinnamon sugar.
- Work in small batches while frying to prevent overcrowding and maintain proper oil temperature.
- Store leftover empanadas in an airtight container and reheat in oven to retain crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg