Caramel Apple Empanadas

A recipe for Caramel Apple Empanadas! These flaky mini hand pies are filled with a spiced caramel apple mixture and baked until golden.

I originally made these Caramel Apple Empanadas in 2018 for Sunday Supper Movement and am updating the recipe today with a smaller yield to make it more manageable along with a couple of new photos.

This fun seasonal treat is perfect for autumn with a flaky, buttery crust and spiced caramel apple filling. Simply simmer diced apples in caramel until beginning to soften, then stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. Once cooled, form into the mini hand pies, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, then bake until golden.

The Caramel Apple Empanadas are best warm from the oven (careful- the filling will be very hot at first) with an additional drizzle of caramel sauce and/or alongside ice cream.

Forming the Dough

I made these Caramel Apple Empanadas with a homemade dough. You can also swap for a favorite store-bought refrigerated pie crust or frozen empanada discs if desired.

Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.

To help create the flaky texture for the pastry base, I generally use a dough blender to cut in the chilled, diced butter. You can also use two forks or the tips of your fingers. Just try to work as quickly as possible to keep the butter from melting.

Only add enough water to bring the dough together. You may not need the full 1/3 cup (80 millimeters) or you may need a little more depending on how you measured the flour. If the dough is still too crumbly the come together, slowly add a little more water.

After forming the pastry dough, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is delicate and this will make it easier to roll and handle. If the dough is still too warm, place back in the refrigerator for a few more minutes.

The dough can also be made up to three days in advance, wrapped, and refrigerated until needed. Bring to room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before using.

Folding the Caramel Apple Empanadas

Roll out the rested dough on a lightly floured surface into a thin sheet about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) thick.

I used a 3 1/2 inch (9 centimeter) cutter to cut out circles from the sheet, but you can also divide the dough into about 12 equal pieces and roll out each individually without the use of a cutter.

There are so many ways these empanadas can be sealed, crimped, or folded.

After folding the dough over the 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of filling and pinching the edges closed, I pulled and folded the dough inward along the edge to create a rope-like pattern.

They can also be sealed simply with the tines of a fork. Whichever technique is used, the important part is to make sure the empanadas are completely closed along the edges to keep that caramel inside.

Don’t skip on refrigerating the empanadas for at least 20 minutes before baking. This will help firm up the dough and filling to keep everything inside.

Right before putting in the oven, I brushed an egg wash over each Caramel Apple Empanada and sprinkled the tops with cinnamon sugar (swap this for turbinado sugar to crisp the tops further and add a little texture).

A Few More Caramel Apple Empanada Tips

I did not peel the apples before dicing. You can if desired for a more smooth filling.

Simmer the apples just until they begin to soften. They will continue to cook in the oven.

I often make these Caramel Apple Empanadas with my homemade Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce. Other options include Cajeta (goat’s milk caramel) or Dulce de Leche.

After baking, I like to drizzle a little more caramel over the top (or set it aside in a bowl) and serve the warm empanadas with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

If the caramel is too thick, microwave for a few seconds until thin enough to stir and drizzle.

Looking for more apple recipes?

Try my:

• Slow Cooker Pear Applesauce
• Apple and Caramelized Onion Tart
• Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl

This recipe was originally posted in November 2018 and updated in September 2025.

Caramel Apple Empanadas Recipe

Adapted from Isabel Eats

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Caramel Apple Empanadas

A recipe for Caramel Apple Empanadas! These flaky mini hand pies are filled with a spiced caramel apple mixture and baked until golden.

Course Dessert

Cuisine N/A

Keyword apple, apple pie, autumn, caramel, dessert, empanada, fall, hand pie, pie

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 -14 Empanadas

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter chilled and cubed
• 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) cold water

Filling:

• 2 Granny Smith apples cored and diced
• 1/2 tablespoon (7 milliliters) lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) caramel sauce, cajeta, or dulce de leche
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch salt

Topping:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water
• Cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
• Caramel sauce for drizzling

Instructions

To make the dough:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
• Quickly cut in the cold butter using a dough blender, two forks, or your fingers until blended and no pieces are larger than a pea and the dough has a crumbly texture.
• Slowly add the cold water to form a soft and smooth dough.
• Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour or up to two days.

To make the filling:

• Toss the diced apples with the lemon juice, then add to a medium saucepan.
• Place the saucepan over medium low heat and stir in the caramel.
• Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften, about 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

To assemble:

• Once the filling has cooled to room temperature, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pie crust into a thin sheet about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) thick.
• Use a 3 1/2 inch (9 centimeter) circular cutter to cut out rounds of dough.
• Place 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of one of the circles. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
• Seal completely using the tines of a fork or create a rope appearance by pulling the edge out slightly and folding over, starting from one end and finishing at the opposite side. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
• Place the empanadas 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and water. Brush the egg wash over the tops of the chilled empanadas. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven until the empanadas are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.