Pumpkin empanadas. One of my most cherished holiday memories is when I used to receive mom’s care packages shipped all the way to New York during the holidays. Carefully packed away were empanadas de calabaza, pumpkin empanadas and hojarascas (polvorones, biscochitos, pan de polvo). I would take that first bite and get a lump in my throat from the emotion I felt as I could taste the dough. It was like instantly being transported back home.
Finally! I am Happy To Share With You, The Video!
I am always stating that one never stops learning. It’s true when it comes to these pumpkin empanadas. The other day on Facebook, I came across a man from Nuevo Leon preparing empanadas de calabaza(pumpkin empanadas). He was basically preparing the exact recipe I grew up with. The one I watched mom prepare countless times during the holidays. His tip is what made the difference and improved the dough in the end. Once he had his dough mixed, but before adding the tea, not fully kneaded, he took a section of it and squeezed it in the palm of his hand. If the dough sticks together, then you know you have added enough shortening. My dough, on this particular day required 2 more tablespoons. Made a big difference in the end.
Sugar And Spice And Everything Nice!
This post is all about the video and not so much about the individual pictures. The video is pretty self explanatory. This post and video is dedicated to all the moms, tias and abuelas that came before us. Thank you for showing us the way to continue with our traditions. Gracias por enseñarnos el camino para seguir con nuestras tradiciones. Abuelita Sarita, my Mom, Blanca, Tia Amelia, Tia Mine, Tia Velia, Tia Quina, Tia Maria, Tia Andrea. And to my two tias, still living, Tia Elvia and Tia Rosa. Thank you for still sharing the traditions with the family, with your families.
I Could Not Leave Out My Favorite Empanada, Pineapple(Piña)!
Yo can use this same dough recipe for the pineapple version as well. GET THE SCOOP ON THE FILLING!
BONUS DULCE DE LECHE, CAJETA VERSION TOO! SEE RECIPE NOTES!
Pumpkin Empanadas-Empanadas De Calabaza
Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 large can pumpkin(29 oz) not pie filling,about 4 cups
- 4 oz piloncillo or dark brown sugar
- 4 oz granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground anise
- 3 tablespoon butter
Empanada Dough
- 1 cup water
- 2 star anise
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 1/2 cups flour, sifted, (about 1 lb)
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 8 oz shortening, plus 2 tbsps for baking sheets
Sugar Cinnamon Dredge
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
For Pumpkin Filling
- Melt the butter and piloncillo. Mix in the pumpkin puree and spices. Stir well to combine. Continue cooking at a light simmer until filling becomes thick and slightly darker in color. Stir as needed. This takes about 45 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar
- Mix sugar with cinnamon, set aside
Dough
- In a sauce pan, combine the 1 cup of water with anise and cinnamon stick. Bring up to a boil at medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep.
- In a large bowl, add the 3 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening until you have small crumbles. Press some of the mixture in the palm of your hand. If it stays together, then it's ready. If its still crumbly, mix in a little more shortening.
- Strain the cinnamon/anise tea. Gradually mix the tea into the flour mixture. I only needed 4 oz, but may vary from time to time. Knead until dough comes together and feels mostly smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- To Assemble: When filling is cool and dough has rested, form 29 dough balls. Each weighs about 26 grams, more or less. Cover with plastic and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Take one dough ball at a time and press in tortilla press lined with plastic storage bag or wax paper. Or you could roll out the dough on a flat surface. Fill with 1½ to 2 tablespoons of filling, fold over, and using a fork, or your fingers, pinch and fold over edges together , creating a braid look that seals empanada.
- Transfer empanadas to a greased baking sheet and bake for 18-21 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges. While the empanadas are still slightly warm, roll in a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Once cooled, transfer to storage container with a tight lid. Empanadas will soften after a few hours. Yields 24 to 28 small empanadas.
Notes
Reader Interactions
Comments
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Yum!! Im going to give these a try!! Your dough sounds like it could also be what i grew up with. There were black flecks sometimes in the dough too.. probably from the star anise. Pumpkin empanadas were always my favorite too. Thank you for sharing the recipe! I’m excited to try them. We ate bigger ones too..
Hi Kim, in the past, I have added crushed anise seeds to the dough recipe. Fresh ground Mexican cinnamon in the dough would appear as flakes sometimes. I also have another dough recipe that is soft and darker in color that was traditional for pumpkin empanadas.
Your recipe brought tears to my eyes. I will definitely be making these empanadas for Christmas
Hi Laura, it was difficult narrating that video. I cried before thinking what I wanted to say. Thank you for taking the time to write.
My Mom is 100% Mexican. I am half. We were so blessed to live with my abuelito’s and we learned how to make a lot of the traditional Mexican dishes. You brought tears to my eyes with this video. I too, would love to keep on cooking so that we leave a legacy behind. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. I can feel the love!
Thank you Jackie for taking the time to write. When my mom could mot cook anymore, I felt this urgency to try and learn the recipes that my siblings and I grew up with. As with many families there were no real written recipes. Many of them I learned from memory and then asking my extended family in Mexico about some of the recipes. I am happy to say that my nieces have learned to prepare tamales and empanadas for their families now. That’s what it’s all about.
Hi! If I am packing the empanadas in boxes (for a fundraiser event)…how soon in advance can I bake them without losing their freshness? They are half a dozen empanadas per box. Making about 30 boxes of them. Thank you.
Olivia
The pumpkin empanadas should only be baked one or two days ahead maximum.