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.
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.