Caramel Apple Empanadas

Thanks for sharing!

These caramel apple empanadas are easier to make than you’d think and so good.  Try eating one still warm from the oven and you are sure to be hooked!

A simple but flaky pastry hides a sweet secret.  These empanadas are filled with a caramel apple filling.  We made our filling with homemade cajeta, but dulche de leche or caramel sauce if you’d like.

It’s a lot like an apple hand pie and they are fabulous.  Of course a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of caramel makes them even better!

Would you like to hear how these caramel apple empanadas came to be? I knew you would!

Little dude and I were busy making homemade cajeta from Ol’ McGrandpa’s goat milk. We were supposed to be going to MiMi and Pops’ that night for family dinner.

So we called to say we’d bring cajeta and apple slices for dessert. I know, how virtuous of us to do fruit slices for dessert!  

But in the background my littlest sister was requesting empanadas instead.

Now when you are the baby of six kids, it is easy to be quite the princess.  So her request is my command…     with restrictions!

I told her I’d make them if she came to help. Good deal, right?

To my surprise, she took me up on it. So I whipped up some dough and waited for her to arrive.

This cream cheese dough is probably not a traditional dough at all, but I’ve used similar for other treats, like kolacky, with delicious flaky results. Since I had a drawer full of cream cheese in the refrigerator it seemed like the way to go!

When my sister arrived, she and little dude went to work chopping apples for the filling. Don’t worry, he was using a miniature butter knife.

Once the apples were soft we played trucks and tractors until the filling had a chance to cool. Then the three of us went to work on assembling the empanadas.

Poor Chloe didn’t get much of a chance to make them as little dude had to keep showing her proper technique. It’s a good thing we have him around to teach us these things!

I tell you what, the smell of these gems coming out of the oven is intoxicating. We had to sample one fresh and warm from the oven.

That is how these kind of things are always best. We were good though and packaged the rest up to share with the family.

MiMi made some homemade vanilla ice cream for us as well. So we each had an empanada  (or two!) And a scoop of ice cream drizzled with cajeta. It was heavenly!

I hope you have enjoyed our celebration of dairy month as much as we have. What recipe are you going to try first?

Love tasty recipes? I do too! Follow me on Pinterest for more delicious ideas!

Caramel Apple Empanadas

Carlee

These caramel apple empanadas are easier to make than you’d think and so good. Try eating one still warm from the oven and you are sure to be hooked!

5 from 8 ratings

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Pastries & More

Cuisine American

Servings 20 Empanadas

Calories 198 kcal

Equipment

• Zyliss Comfort Utility Knife, 4.5 inches White
• Sheet Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cajeta caramel sauce or dulce de leche
• 4 baking apples chopped
• 1 large egg

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Instructions

 

• Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth and completely incorporated. Add flour and salt then mix until a dough is formed. Bring it together into a ball, then flatten into a small disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerator for at least a half hour.
• Meanwhile cook apples and cajeta over medium heat until the apples are softened. Chill until ready to use. 
• Cut dough into two parts, then roll the first part out to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4 inch circles and place a rounded Tablespoon of chilled apple mixture in the center. Run a wet finger around the edge of the dough and then fold the dough in half. Crimp the edges to seal and place on a greased or lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. 
• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Beat together the egg with a couple of teaspoons of water. Brush over chilled empanadas and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
• Enjoy with a little extra cajeta and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 181mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4g

Tried this recipe?Mention @carleecooks or tag #cookingwcarlee!

More great dairy centric recipes:

Creme Anglaise (‘Real Custard’) by Caroline’s Cooking
Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids

Thanks for sharing!