Perfect home made dough for baked empanadas. This simple recipe can be use with your favorite savory or sweet fillings.
If making empanada dough from scratch intimidates you, don't let it!
What do you Need to Make this Recipe
This homemade empanada dough recipe requires only a handful of ingredients, all purpose flour, salt, egg, cold water and butter, and it comes together in under ten minutes!
I love using my food processor for my homemade dough because it is quicker and easier than making it using your hands. If you don't own a food processor or just prefer making it by hand, feel free. Follow the same directions, but use your hands instead of the food processor to mix the ingredients together.
How to Make Empanada Dough for Baking
Mix the flour and salt in the processor.
Add butter, egg and cold water to the flour mixture. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap dough with plastic.
Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a thin sheet and cut out discs using a large biscuit cutter.
Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the beaten egg to help better seal them.
Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges with a fork or your fingers. Brush the top of the empanadas with the rest of the beaten egg. Chill the empanadas for about 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
This homemade empanada dough can also be prepared ahead of time, just seal tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
A good empanada is all about the crust for me. Learn how to make it, then choose from one of my delicious fillings:
S’mores Empanadas (See recipe here)
Guava Paste and Cheese Empanadas (See recipe here)
Dulce de Leche and Apple Empanadas (See recipe here)
Chicken, Mushrooms and Cheese Empanadas (See recipe here)
Simple Empanada Dough for Baking Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 stick of butter chilled and cut into small pieces
- 2 eggs Divided, one egg to seal the empnadas
- ¼ cup ice cold water
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in the processor.
- Add butter, egg and cold water to the flour mixture. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Shape the dough into a ball and wrap dough with plastic. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a thin sheet and cut out discs using a large biscuit cutter.
- Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the beaten egg to help better seal them.
- Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges with a fork or your fingers. Brush the top of the empanadas with the rest of the beaten egg. Chill the empanadas for about 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Zara
Hi Erica, I made this dough to make beef empanadas and they were so good! My boyfriend's family loved them. The only thing is, the dough was extremely stretchy and nearly impossible to roll out. Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone else experienced this? Other than that, I love this dough and cant wait to try different fillings! Thank you for the recipe.
Erica Dinho
Did you chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, before you make the empanadas? You can add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of flour if the dough is very sticky.
michel
I found if I overwork the dough, it becomes stretchy and hard to work with. I'm more careful now, and have had no problem since the first time.
rea
Can I use olive oil for brushing when putting in oven? Can I use this recipe without egg?
~ Suze
Hi Rea,
Olive oil will make a softer crust, where the egg wash will deliver a crispier crust.
Anonymous
Thank u very much for this recipe
Jennifer
I made this dough for Easter and it was perfect and very easy to make. Thanks.
I filled my empanadas with ground turkey.
J
cm1123,
I had the same issue, I needed to add a bit more water so that it all formed up. It didn't really impact anything, so I think it's okay. I did use my hands instead of a machine, that might have something to do with it, or maybe it didn't, lol. In any event I think it's fine. 🙂
Elvira T.
Can I use my kitchen aide instead of food processor?
Thanks
cm1123
This is my first trying to make empanadas. I followed the instructions for this dough but find that I couldn't get it to come together in a ball after mixing it. It was all crumbly so I had to add a bit more water. Did this happen to anyone else? What did I do wrong?
Ben
With pastry dough, the amount of water needed can vary depending on the humidity, the season, and the like. Add as little water as possible to get a workable dough. You did exactly as you should have.
heather
Can these be fried instead of baked
Erica Dinho
The dough for frying is different. Here is the recipe:https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/empanaditas-de-carne-small-beef-turnovers/
Melanie Dietz
How many does the recipe make?
Erica Dinho
About 10 to 12 big empanadas or 20 small empnadas
Melanie Dietz
Thankyou
Abigail
Can I freeze these empanadas? If so do I cook them first?
Erica Dinho
You can freeze them uncooked.
april q
Can this be modified like other recipes with whole wheat. .perhaps half of the flour is whole and half is AP? Or a different ratio?
Erica Dinho
I didn't try it with whole wheat flour, but next time I would love to do it and I will post it here.
Omayra
Can this ough be used for apple pie??
Erica Dinho
Hi Omayra,
I don't know...I only use it for empanadas.
Heather
I would say yes you could use it for pie. I would just reduce or eliminate the salt - other than that, it's basically the same recipe as pie dough. You just want to avoid the salty flavor biting into a piece of sweet pie.
Ashley
Could use for hand pies like taco bells apple empanadas. I'd just dust with sugar and bake or fry.
Anonymous
You need to have salt in a pie dough as well. Maybe just a teaspoon, but it needs to be in there. It counteracts bitterness which actually will bring out the sweet. You would also add sugar to the pie dough.
Peggy
This the dough u use for crust of the apple pie so the answer is Yes.
Ben
Minus the egg. And keep a little salt, makes all the difference!
grace
this is so useful, erica! the results look perfect and i could use this dough for so many things!
nelyjo
the list of ingredients has one egg which you add to the mixture, but you need an extra egg for brushing.
Erica Dinho
Yes,thanks!
Idalia Irizarry.
Yes, it calls for one egg, and I thought it was for brushing. When I read again I had already the dough ball formed then I added the egg. I almost threw everything away. But I kept working the dough and was able to make the disks. Came out great. So made a note 2
Anonymous
Easy to make and delicious. Thank you!
Evelyne@cheapethniceatz
I just love these classic basic recipes...especially when I learn they are easy. Pinned and yep all about the crust.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
A simple and quick pastry recipe, Erica.
Jazmin Melendez
Super easy! My go to recipe! XD
Anonymous
Easy and delicious! Thanks
Norma Torres
Quite easy. I also like my machine for dough. Thanks for this recipe.
Anonymous
If all I have is salted butter, can I use that and not add the salt??
Or do I use the regular salt and salted butter?
Sam
In my experience, salted butter without added salt is ok 🙂