Dessert empanadas, also known as sweet empanadas or "empanaditas dulces", are a delectable variation of the traditional savory empanadas. These sweet empanadas are easy and a perfect treat that promises to satisfy even the most selective sweet tooth.
Empanaditas Dulces | Sweet Little Empanadas
The culture of Mexican food vendors, particularly women selling food on the streets or around your neighborhood, is deeply ingrained in the country's culinary traditions. Street food plays a significant role in Mexican gastronomy, providing convenient, affordable, and delicious options for people on the go.
These sweet little empanadas (empanaditas dulces) are usually filled with many fillings, and even though sometimes can be found at local bakeries, it is more common to be sold by local women that sell them to make some extra money to help with an income at home.
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Women selling food on the streets is a dynamic and integral part of Mexican society. It brings together tradition, entrepreneurship, community, and the celebration of flavors to reflect the richness of Mexican culinary heritage. The recipe is straightforward and has easily available ingredients, making this sweet treat affordable and convenient. Not only are versatility and convenience contributing to their widespread appeal, but they are also a beloved treat for locals and visitors alike. I hope you try them.
How to Make Dessert Empanadas
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients in this traditional Mexican dessert recipe:
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Vegetable shortening
- Cola Flavored Soda (like Coca-Cola®)
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Your favorite jam or filling
Instructions:
Empanada Dough:
- Combine flour, sugar, butter, and vegetable shortening in a large bowl.
- Mix the ingredients with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Then, add the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract and gradually add the dark cola drink, mix everything until the dough comes together.
- Form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step relaxes the gluten in the dough, making it easier to roll out without shrinking or tearing.
Assembly:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thickness. Using a round cutter, cut out 4"circles.
- Another option is to separate the dough into 18 small balls and press each ball with the help of your tortilla press. This will make it easy to form.
- Now, place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each empanada disc.
- Fold the dough over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. You can seal the edges by pressing them with a fork or you can crimp the edges as follows:
- Using your fingers to crimp the edges for a secure seal is a different technique. Starting at one end of the sealed edge, use your fingers to fold a small section of the dough towards the center. Pinch and twist the folded section to create a decorative edge. Repeat this process, working your way around the entire edge of the empanada.
- Place the "empanaditas" on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and Bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes in the oven, your dessert empanadas may still look a little pale; this is ok, remove them from the oven.
- Allow a few minutes to cool off until you can touch them, and place them on a plate or small bowl with sugar. You must do this step as soon as possible and sprinkle the sugar evenly, or the sugar will not stick to them.
- Feel free to customize the filling according to your taste, and enjoy these delicious Mexican empanaditas!
Notes and Tips:
- This recipe can be customized with your favorite filling (I love using my pineapple jam) for this recipe, caramel sauce or cajeta, apple filling, or dulce de leche mixed with nuts or fresh fruit.
- If using your own filling, add a thickening agent like cornstarch to prevent it from becoming too runny during baking. Some people mix in one egg yolk to store-bought jams or dulce de leche to avoid it from oozing out at baking time.
- If your filling is too runny, lightly brush the empanadas with the egg wash before closing them. This will prevent the filling from oozing out.
- Make sure the butter is cold to achieve a better consistency.
- It's important to gradually add the dark soda to achieve the right consistency. Too much liquid can make the dough sticky.
- Some people will be tempted to add a pinch of salt to the dough to balance the sweetness, just remember that the soda already has some sodium in it.
- Stir in your favorite spices to the sugar to coat your warm empanadas, like a few tablespoons of ground cinnamon for extra flavor.
What to Serve with this Mexican Sweet Empanadas
Pairing sweet empanadas with a warm beverage like cafe de olla, white atole, or champurrado is a great choice if you enjoy them as a snack. The warmth of the drink complements the sweetness of the dessert. If you serve them as a dessert at the end of your meal, pair them with potato soup and a glass of guava agua fresca for a full meal.
More Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dessert Empanadas
Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions you may have about sweet empanadas
What are dessert empanadas?
Dessert empanadas are very popular in Mexico and are a sweet variation of the traditional empanada. They are a type of pastry filled and folded into a half-moon or crescent shape before being baked or fried. The type of fat used varies from butter, margarine, lard, or shortening.
Are empanadas sweet or savory?
Savory empanadas typically feature meat, cheese, or vegetable fillings, and dessert empanadas are filled with sweet ingredients, making them a delightful treat for those with a sweet tooth.
What are dessert empanadas filled with?
Dessert empanadas can be filled with a wide variety of sweet ingredients, offering a delicious and often portable treat. Some popular fillings are fruit jams, apples, homemade jellies, fresh fruit, cream cheese, dulce de leche, custard, and more.
What kind of pastry is used for empanadas?
The type of pastry used for empanadas can vary, depending on the region and culinary traditions. However, a common and versatile dough for empanadas is similar to a basic pie crust or shortcrust pastry. The key is to create a sturdy dough to hold the filling, with ingredients like flour, butter, or shortening, some spices, and some liquid.
How to store empanadas
Allow the baked empanadas to cool completely at room temperature. This step helps prevent condensation, which can make the pastry soggy. Place the empanadas in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. You can also refrigerate for up to 2-3 days
📖 Recipe
Dessert Empanadas
Ingredients
Empanada dough
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 tablespoon Cola flavored soda, regular not the diet version. (Like Coca Cola®)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Empanada Dough:
- Combine flour, sugar, butter, and vegetable shortening in a large bowl.
- Mix the ingredients with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Then, add the ground cinnamon and vanilla extract and gradually add the dark cola drink mix until the dough comes together.
- Form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step relaxes the gluten in the dough, making it easier to roll out without shrinking or tearing.
Assembly:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thickness. Using a round cutter, cut out circles.
- Another option is to separate the dough into 18 small balls and press each ball with the help of your tortilla press.
- Now, place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each empanada disc.
- Fold the dough over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. Seal the edges by pressing them with a fork.
- You can also crimp the edges by using your fingers to crimp the edges for a secure seal. This is a different technique. Starting at one end of the sealed edge, use your fingers to fold a small section of the dough towards the center. Pinch and twist the folded section to create a decorative edge. Repeat this process, working your way around the entire edge of the empanada.
- Place the empanaditas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes in the oven, your dessert empanadas may still look a little pale; this is ok, remove them from the oven.
- Allow a few minutes until you can touch them, and place them on a plate or small bowl with sugar. You must do this step as soon as possible and sprinkle the sugar evenly, or the sugar will not stick to them.
- Feel free to customize the filling according to your taste, and enjoy these delicious Mexican empanaditas!
Notes
- This recipe can be customized with your favorite filling, like jams, caramel sauce, apple filling, or dulce de leche mixed with nuts or fresh fruit.
- If using your own filling, add a thickening agent like cornstarch to prevent it from becoming too runny during baking. Some people mix in one egg yolk to store-bought jams or dulce de leche to avoid it from oozing out at baking time.
- If your filling is too runny, lightly brush the empanadas with the egg wash before closing them.
- Make sure the butter is cold to achieve a better consistency.
- It is important that you gradually add the dark soda to achieve the right consistency. Too much liquid can make the dough sticky.
- Additional spices can be added to the sugar to coat your warm empanadas, like a few tablespoons of ground cinnamon for extra flavor.
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Deb M
Could you recommend a substitute for cola in the recipe?
Mely Martínez
Hello Deb,
You can use a light beer or mineral water. YOu can see the recommendations on the notes.
Sherry L
Hi there! I’m unsure of what dark soda is? I can’t wait to try these empanadas!
Mely Martínez
Hello Sherry,
Oh, I"m sorry. it is Cola flavored soda. Not diet soda, it has to be regular soda.
Laura C.
Hola, Mely - If I cut the dough into 18 pieces, how much would they weigh, approximately? I find it easier to use the scale when dividing portions during cooking/baking, as when making tortillas.
Thank you.
Mely Martínez
Hello Laura,
It will weight an average of 33 grams. More or less.
Rosa
This dough is a dream to work with! The flavor is amazing!!! I love the addition of cinnamon in the dough. Made the whole kitchen smell lovely! Going to make more ASAP as we pretty much ate all of them rather quickly 😂😂😂❤️❤️❤️ All of your recipes have been hits!!!
Mely Martínez
Hello Rosa,
Thank you for trying this my sister's delicious sweet empanaditas recipe.
so glad to know you guys live them!
Mely
Jodie
Mely, what would you suggest as a substitute for vegetable shortening? Thanks! I bought your 1st cookbook and looking forward to your newest one.
Mely Martínez
Hello Jodie,
I'm not sure how the end results would be doing some changes, however, for a substitute for vegetable shortening in empanadas, I'd recommend using butter or lard for a similar texture and flavor profile. Alternatively, you could try using coconut oil or a combination of butter and oil for a slightly different taste.
Let me know how does it go with your empanadas.
Happy baking!
Anna Lopez
I recently tried this recipe, and it was absolutely delicious! The flavors and texture were perfectly balanced, and the empanadas were cooked to perfection. The recipe was also very easy to follow and didn't require a lot of ingredients or prep time. I would highly recommend giving it a try if you're looking for tasty Mexican sweet empanadas!