These pumpkin empanadas are full of earthy-sweet flavors that celebrate the taste of fall. These turnovers with a sweet pumpkin filling and traditional fall spices such as cinnamon and clove are the perfect afternoon dessert or snacks. The best thing is that these ready-made empanadas can be frozen and reheated to enjoy later.
In This Post
Have you ever had a pumpkin empanada? If you haven't, you are seriously missing out!
Back when I used to travel every month in the northern states of Mexico, one of the many stops was to get a bite on the side of the road. During the colder months, my favorite food was empanadas de calabaza (the Spanish word for pumpkin)
The memories of those pumpkin empanadas came to my mind last weekend! Seeing pumpkins everywhere made me feel a craving to bake some. Deciding to make them with a yeasty dough was a personal option since that is the way I remember the dough flavor to taste as they do it in other northern states, but you can use your own pastry or pie recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Empanadas
Before I share my empanada recipe, here are a few frequently asked questions about homemade pumpkin turnovers.
What are traditionally in empanadas?
Empanadas are what we call in the States "turnovers". A half-moon-shaped pastry with a filling, either fried or baked.
There are so many types of empanadas out there. And every country has its own version. For example, some countries prefer pie or pastry dough over traditional empanada dough, while a local fruit or filling will be used for the stuffing.
In Mexico, we have a large variety of empanadas; mainly, what makes them different is their filling or the dough used to make them. You can either have corn dough empanadas or like these wheat flour empanadas. The stuffing also makes a difference, like cheese or beef for savory flavors or fruits or jams for sweet empanadas.
Do I need baking powder for turnovers?
No, do not use baking powder in these pumpkin empanadas. Baking powder will make them too airy if you do. Instead, combine yeast, milk, and sugar to give the dough the perfect amount of rising.
Are empanadas better fried or baked?
I like to bake my pumpkin empanadas because it is less messy and healthier, and I can bake a huge batch all at once. You can certainly deep fry them if you want to. They will have a crispier and greasier texture if you fry them.
How do you store the Pumpkin empanadas?
After completely cooling down, place them in an airtight container to keep them fresh for the next couple of days. You can always place the empanadas in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
How do you freeze empanadas?
To freeze your pumpkin empanadas, bake them entirely and then let them cool. After cooling off, put them on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and place the baking sheet in the freezer. This step will freeze the empanadas, so they don't stick together in the freezer bag.
After completely frozen, place them in a freezer-safe resealable food storage bag. Keep the frozen empanadas in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Homemade Authentic Pumpkin Empanada Recipe
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish…
- Pumpkin (cubed)
- Piloncillo (or brown sugar)
- Ground Cinnamon
- Cinnamon Stick
- Ground Anise Seeds
- Ground Clove Spice
- All-Purpose Flour
- Eggs (Large size)
- Warm Milk (whole)
- Dry Yeast
- Sugar
- Melted Butter
- Salt
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
How To Make Empanadas de Calabaza: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I will break down the directions for this recipe into sections.
Cook The Pumpkin Pie Filling
- Place the pumpkin in a saucepan with the piloncillo, water, and cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil, cook for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, and remove the cinnamon stick.
Note: At this time, the piloncillo should have dissolved entirely.
- Add the ground cinnamon, ground anise, and clove. Keep cooking uncovered for about 20 or more minutes, and frequently stir until the mixture takes the texture of a jam. This step can be done ahead of time and has to be at room temperature before forming the empanadas.
Form The Dough
- Place the yeast in a small bowl, add the warm milk and let it proof for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the flour, eggs, melted and cooled butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft dough.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl turning to coat it with the oil. Cover with plastic and let it rest for about 1 ½ hour in a warm place.
- After that period time, knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes and divide it into 12 small softballs to start forming the empanadas. Cover with plastic.
Make The Pumpkin Empanadas
- With the help of your rolling pin, roll out each dough ball on a lightly floured surface into circles of about 7 inches in diameter.
- Place about ¼ cup of pumpkin mixture in each center; fold the dough to enclose the filling and form a half-moon shape. Seal edges by crimping with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Arrange empanadas on two greased baking sheets; brush with egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar if desired. Let them rest for about 30-35 minutes until the dough rise.
- Bake until the crusts are light brown, 15 to 18 minutes; rotate pans between racks halfway through.
Update: I placed some of these empanadas in the freezer for later use. You know those times when you want to have some coffee and a sweet thing to go alone? Well, I put one in the toaster oven while my coffee was brewing, and it tasted great. Really crispy with its soft filling. So now you know they freeze well!
What To Serve With Pumpkin Empanadas
These pumpkin empanadas make a beautiful dessert or snack, so all you need are some hot drinks to go along with it.
You can never go wrong with a cup of Hot chocolate, or warm Mexican atole is another classic fall recipe that is perfect with pumpkin empanadas.
I love to serve it along with some cafe de olla!
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for empanadas de Calabaza, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina
Buen Provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Turnover
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound pumpkin seeded without skin and cut in large cubes
- 6 oz. Piloncillo or brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick of about one inch This will be removed after the pumpkin cooks
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground anise seeds
- ¼ tsp. ground clove spice
For the dough:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup warm milk
- 1 teaspoon dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ stick of melted butter
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 egg lightly beaten to brush the empanadas
CHECK THE VIDEO RECIPE
Instructions
Cook the pumpkin pie filling
- Place the pumpkin in a saucepan with the piloncillo, ¼ cup of water , and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Remove the cinnamon stick.
- At this time, the piloncillo should have been dissolved; add the ground cinnamon, ground anise, and clove. Keep cooking uncovered for about 20 or more minutes, frequently stirring until the mixture takes the texture of a jam. This can be done ahead of time and must to be a room temperature before forming the empanadas.
Form the dough
- Place the yeast in a small bowl, add the warm milk and let it proof for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the Flour, eggs, melted and cool butter, sugar and , salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes , adding more flour if needed.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl turning to coat it with the oil. Cover with plastic and let it rest for about 1 ½ hours in a warm place.
- After that period knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes and divide it into 12 small soft balls to start forming the empanadas. Cover with plastic.
Make the empanadas
- With the help of your rolling pin, roll out each dough balls on a lightly floured surface into circles of about 7 inches in diameter , stretching it if necessary.
- Place about ¼ cup of filling in the center of each; fold dough to enclose the filling and form a half moon. Seal edges by crimping with a fork.
If you want your empanadas to look symmetric, once you fold the circle , place a cereal bowl upside down and press to cut any excess dough, like shown in the picture.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange empanadas on 2 greased baking sheets; brush with egg wash and dust with some sugar if you desired. Let them rest for about 30-35 minutes until the dough raises.
- Bake until light brown, 15 to 18 minutes; rotate pans between racks halfway through. Baking time will vary depending on your oven.
If you want to obtain a dark golden color in your empanadas, do not add sugar to the topping and place them for 2-3 minutes under your broiler stove after baking them, watching carefully to avoid burning them.
Update:
- I placed some of these empanadas in the freezer for later use. You know those times when you want to have some coffee and a sweet thing to go alone?. Well, I put one in the toaster oven while my coffee was brewing, and it tasted great. Really crispy with its soft filling. So now you know they freeze well.
Marisela Salsido
Hello Ms. Martinez, great recipe I made with sweet potato instead. They came out great, reminds me the ones I first ate in Reynosa when my husband took me for the first time. Thank you for sharing
Gilda Guzman
This is my favorite! Every fall season and as soon as we start to see pumpkins all over the place, my kids start asking for empanadas! So thank you!
Jennifer Kerr
Outrageously delicious! These disappeared very quickly. Used a classic pâté brisée. Served with her delicious hot chocolate w toasted almond and pecans (I blanched the almonds too avoid skins). People asked for recipe! All in all pure magic. Thank you for your beautiful recipes.
Mely Martínez
Hello Jennifer,
Thank you for trying the empanadas recipe and also the Hot chocolate drink. It is a nice combination. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment.
Rosalba
How would I go about if I used sweet potatoes instead?
Mely Martínez
Hello Rosalba,
You would need to cook them the same way as the pumpkin, but maybe they take less time to cook.
Deanna
For a savory empanada, would you use the same masa or omit sugar?
Mely Martínez
Hello Deanna,
Yes, you can use the same dough minus the sugar.
Maria Perea
They seem to be good I'll try making them some time this week 😁😁 thanks 👍👍 Meley for your recipe
Jayne Douglas
Thanks Mely! Your recipe for empanada dough is just what I've been looking for! Bready, not pie crust. There is one bakery shop here owned by a lady who has one across the river but I think she hired a new baker from HEB and the empanadas are not as good as they use to be. LOL! I'm working to duplicate my Mama's and Gramma's recipes for my kids and you are a BIG help. Thank you, dear Mely!
Ronnie
Omg. If they turn out to be like the kind cranked out at HEB, I’ve gotta hug someone’s neck! I’ve been looking for a bread-like pastry to fill in empanadas foreverrrrrrr. Couldn’t find one. After experimenting with five different recipes during this CVD19 confinement, I have finally given up! However, Mely’s version has given me new encouragement to push through! I’ll update later!
Thx Mely!!!!
Esther
My mom always made empanadas with cooked apples. No one in our family liked pumpkin except for my dad (at Thanksgiving there was 1 pumpkin pie & 2 apple).
Thanks for the recipe; I made empanadas de manzana over the weekend, using your dough recipe. They were delicious, & my brother thanks you!
mmartinez
Hello Esther,
Thank a lot for trying the recipe, and for taking the time to stop by again, and let us know that you used the dough to make apple empanadas.
Happy cooking & baking!
Jennifer Sandoval
Thank you so much for this recipe! Where I live now they only sell pineapple empanadas. I made these for thanksgiving and I made some with sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin and they were great. Thank you again!
Maria
Good morning ! So on the dough is that 1/4 c. melted butter???
mmartinez
Hello, Maria,
That will be 1/4 cup of melted butter. Happy baking!
Mari
Thank you for ALL YOUR HELP !
mmartinez
YOu are very welcome!
Christina
Hi! My fathers side of the family is from Sonora. I remember my great grandmother making these once a year. I can't that I loved them (she wasn't that great of a cook, lol), but now I find myself craving some. I just may try these. But I now live in Puebla, do you think that Calabasas de Castilla work? Can you believe that there is no butternut squash out here? No canned pumpkin either. Sigh. Do you think "camotes" or carrots can be sued as a substitute?
mmartinez
Hello Christina,
Yes, you can use Calabazas de castilla, camotes is also a great option.
Happy baking!
mmartinez
Hello Mony,
You have to let them thaw first for the second rise, and then bake. I usually bake all at once, freeze from and to reheat them, just pop them in the hot oven. They still taste really good!
Mony
Question: can you form the empanadas and freeze them without baking, and then later take them out of the freezer and bake?
mmartinez
Hello Mony,
Absolutely! Yes, you can.
Mony
Thank you Mely 🙂 I just wanted to make sure b/c I know yeast doughs are different than regular old pie doughs and wasn't sure if the yeast would affect anything if it was frozen without baking. Can you also just pop them into the oven frozen, or should they thaw out and finish the second rise?
Anonymous
Just made the pumpkin empanadas they are out of this world it was what I was looking for bread like empanada I added a pinch of cinnamon in the flour I'm definitely keeping this recipe THANKS A TON!!!!!
Irene Alejo
Thank u soooo much i searched and searched for authentic empanadas recipe like my mom and grandma used to make for hoildays now i found one thank u sooooo much...
alex
All I can say is thank you Jesus! My mom passed a few years ago and I was remembering her empanadas and I could never find the proper recipe to make lime hers... until now! Thanks!
Mely
Hello Alex,
I hope you enjoy the taste along with the memories of your mom.
Happy cooking!
Chantel
Hello!
I am so new to this. My son is leaving in 6 weeks to serve a church mission for the LDS church in Cochabamba Bolivia. He will be gone for 2 years, and is so excited! He has asked me to try some Bolivian recipes. I have been looking at a lot of them and have found a few to try. This looks fantastic! I have a question, I have found Anise extract, but no anise or anise seed. Do you know where I can find some? Does the extract achieve the same flavor? I'm excited to see your other recipes.
Thank you!
Chantel
Mely
Hello find anise star in our amazon store. Just click on the link on the right column. But you can also use the anise extract. 2 or 3 drops will do the trick to add the flavor and aroma. Blessings to you and your son.
Mely
Leo
This is the first recipe I've found that called for anise. The empanadas we got at our local panaderia always had that distinct, sweet aroma and flavor of anise in addition to the cinnamon, ginger and maybe cloves (although I would have never known if in fact they added cloves or not). My great-grandma baked the pumpkin but this method looks just as good. I suppose camote (sweet potato or yam) works just as good. My "Ama" didn't use milk for the dough. Instead she boiled water with a stick of cinnamon and a few anise seeds. She would boil for a minute or two and turn off the heat to let it cool down but not get cold before adding it to the dough. The anise seeds went right into the dough adding a wonderful flavor to the finished pastry.
Dea do Brasil
I wonder if I can make the same dough but fill the "empanadas" with something salty like cooked chicken or ground beef/veggies ?... off course, I would not put sugar in the dough...what do you think?
Mely
Hello Dea do Brasil,
You can reduce the sugar in the dough and fill with a salty filling. We like it with ham and cheese. But also a a pizza filling works great.
Happy cooking,
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Freddyboyr:
I great Idea the addition of apple sauce to the mix.
Thanks for sharing it.
Mely
@Missdorac,
Add with the piloncillo, thanks for letting me know. I typed that twice. :)!!!!
Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.
Mely
missdorac
I finally prepared these today, and they came out very good. Question, though, with the last amounts of cinnamon & optional Anis; when and to what do you add those ingredients to?
freddyboyr
My Grandmother made them the same way, only, she added a little apple sauce to the pumpkin mix and then cooked it slow to reduce the moaisture. It gave it a great flavor and I prefer them over regular pumpkin empanadas. She has been gone 15 years now and I haven't had them since. But I will use your recipe to make them and add the little extra my grandma used. Thanks so much, I can't wait to make them.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Anonymous, 🙂
I am so glad to know their turn out OK for you. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know.
Mely
Anonymous
I prepared these today and they turned out delicious. Thanks a lot <3333
Keninseb
muchisimas gracias Mely.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Keninseb,
No le pongas el agua solo ponlo en una ollita con el azucar (brown sugar) y la canela y si quieres en lugar de canela en raja usa canela en polvo. EL chiste es que le des el sabor y que la consistencia sea como de mermelada suave y untable.
Espero esto te ayuda.
Gracias por visitar.
Saludos y que te queden muy ricas,
Mely
Keninseb
tengo una pregunta, si uso can pumpkin en lugar de la calabaza en cubos, me puedes explicar como seria el procedimiento de los demas ingredientes, porfavor. Por ejemplo, tengo que usasr el 1/4 de taza de agua? seria mejor usar brown sugar en lugar del piloncillo?, cuando añadiria la canela?, cuanto tiempo lo dejo todo cociendo? Porfavor alludame.
muchas gracias,
Keninseb
shopannies
love this idea. I love pumpkin last year my new thing was the pumpkin dump cake and now I found these thanks
Al Dente Gourmet
WOW!These Empanadas seems absolutely moth-watering.Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekeend 🙂
Saludos from New Zealand, Aldy 🙂
Lori
Mely- These are absolutely beautiful. I bet the filling was amazing.
I am about to post some empanadas I made over the weekend. How funny is that? Great minds think alike.
Violeta
Uy, se ven divinas, yo adoro las empanadas y nunca he probado la calabaza como relleno.
Cómo me gustaría vivir en un sitio donde haya un mercado al que se pueda ir temprano en la mañana. Aquí en Miami no tenemos esa suerte.
Creo que han abierto un Mexican Market un poco lejos, al sur, tengo planes de explorarlo este fin de semana, quizás valga la pena dar el viaje.
Un abrazo desde Florida
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Diane,
The total amount of the pumpkin filling was 3 cups. About 1/4 cup of filling per empanadas. You just have to let the pumpkin simmer for a little while in a small pot to reduce the amount of liquid. This is in oder to avoid any leaking of the filling.
I hope this answer your question.
Thanks for stopping by.
Mely
Diane@Peaceful Acres
I do have a question...can you give a guesstamate for already processed pumpkin. I already processed my pumpkins and they are in the freezer. Thanks.
Diane@Peaceful Acres
They look divine!!! I've been trying to get my courage up to make Empanadas and you make it look so simple. I'm thinking they are next on my list....tonight it's Korean Pancakes.
Chef Bee
In our small town in Texas, you have to get to the bakery early to get pumpkin empanadas. They go fast. Thanks for sharing.
Plan B
Lara
These look great. This would be nice to eat the day after Thanksgiving, before the turkey sandwiches! I usually use pie dough, but this looks healthier too. Thanks for sharing. I will have to add your blog to my list!
Sense of Home
I have always wanted to try making empanadas and these sound delicious.
-Brenda
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Nora,
Si las puedes usar para hacer claabaza en tacha solo que te recomeindo que primero pongas el piloncillo en la olla a que se derrita con una cucharada de agua y canela y despues le pones la calabaza. Las calabazas gringas son muy tiernas y se cocinan de volada.
Saludos,
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Karen,
I am feeling better today. Still need to go to the doctor tomorrow.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hey Dama, you can use brown sugar to make the empanadas. Instead of piloncillo. Funny girl!
Hola Prieta, ya me diste una idea para llevar yo tambien. 🙂
Hi Zerrin, I like the cinammon and anis better but clove goes very well with them.
zerrin
These look adorable! I love the pumpkin filling. Bet cinnamon and clove give a very nice flavor to it.
NORA
Mely se antojan, gracias por la receta. Yo tengo antojo de hacer la calabaza en tacha, pero las calabazas de Castilla que he visto son enormes y también hay otras de color naranja preciosas, como las de EEUU, mas chicas. Tu sabes éstas se pueden hacer en tacha? Las has probado?
Espero que ya te sientas mejor. Descansa amiga!
Un abrazo
Prieta
Hi Mely,
These empanadas look delicious! I love pumpkin and also butternut squash, what a great idea to bring this to my family's Halloween party. Your pictures are beautiful, they make me want to jump into the screen and take a bite!
La Dama
ay estaba pensando en enpanadas..no hay panocha en Inglaterra,lol (joke)..ojala y se sientas mejore pronto amiga.
Karen Anne
Hope you feel better soon.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Giselle,
Thanks for the information. The soup is "Caldo de Res".
I will post it later this month.
Saludos,
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Aninymous,
I will be posting a soup later this month meanwhile check the other soups in the recipe files, there are some salsas also there. Do you remember the name of the soup at your local Mexican restaurant? Could it be "Caldo de res"?
Please let me know.
I wish you had left your name.
Saludos,
Mely
Pily Guzman
Qué bonitas empanadas Mely, nunca he usado esta receta para la pasta, buena idea, es otra opción, y buenos recuerdos de Monterrey 😉
saludos
Mexico in my kitchen
That is a good idea Gloria. That way I can say that I am eating my veggies. 🙂
Mely
Giselle
Sorry! my name is Giselle.
I don't remember the name of the soup... or if it even has a name. It comes with most meals (would you like a soup or a salad with that?). But you can also order it as a meal. The soup is red/orange in color and it has cabbage and a few other vegetables in it. The broth is delicious.
I will look forward to your soup recipe!
Anonymous
These look really good!!
Can I make a request (actually two)? I've been searching for a good spicy Mexican vegetable soup (I'm a huge fan of the soup made at a local Mexican restaurant) and also a good cooked salsa recipe (I'm not sure what exactly to call the salsa.)
🙂
Gloria
Ooooh ya ya. I have a lot of butternut squash that can be used in place of pumpkin. This looks so good. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week.