Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry). Great recipe for Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry). This recipe is one of the better empanada recipes that I have tried.the crust turns out perfectly flaky, not like the rubbery crusts that you find at a panderia (Mexican bakery). My whole family loved these and they gobbled.

Ingredients of Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry)

1. Prepare of Pumpkin Filling.
2. It’s 4 tbsp of butter.
3. Prepare 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
4. It’s 15 oz of canned pumpkin (not pie filling, I use one Libby's brand 15oz can).
5. Prepare 2 tsp of ground cinnamon.
6. You need 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice.
7. Prepare of Empanada Dough.
8. Prepare 3 cup of all purpose flour.
9. Prepare 2 tsp of baking powder.
10. It’s 1/2 tsp of salt.
11. It’s 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening.
12. Prepare 2 large of eggs.
13. It’s 1/2 cup of whole milk.
14. It’s 2 tbsp of white sugar.
15. It’s of Sugar/Cinnamon Topping.
16. You need 1/4 cup of white sugar.
17. Prepare 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Fold one side over and pinch the sides together using your index finger until the empanada is fully sealed. A sweet pastry pocket filled with pumpkin. These sweet treats are perfect with a cup of Mexican coffee before breakfast or after dinner. Growing up we always knew the fall and winter meant lots of sweet and tasty treats we call empanadas.

Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry) step by step

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Don't let it burn..
2. Stir in brown sugar until it dissolves with the butter..
3. Stir in the pumpkin and the spices. Continue to stir over medium heat for 10min..
4. Remove the filling from heat and let cool down. After it has cooled for 15 min, put the filling in the refrigerator for 30 min before use..
5. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Cut in the shortening with the dry ingredients, I use my hands to work the shortening into the flour mixture..
7. Add the eggs, milk and sugar, use a spoon at first then continue to work the dough with your hands until all ingredients all fully incorporated and you have a nice ball of dough..
8. Split the dough in half, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for 30 minutes..
9. Preheat the oven to 350° f.
10. Take out half of the dough and split into 12-16 balls of dough (depending on how big you want the empanadas).
11. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each of the dough balls into small round circles about 4-6 inches in diameter..
12. Add a small dollop of pumpkin filling to center of dough..
13. Wet the edge of the dough circle with water and fold the dough over to seal the empanada in half. Seal the edges by using a fork to press into the edge..
14. Brush the top of each empanada with egg whites, then sprinkle the tops with the sugar/cinnamon topping..
15. Place the empanadas on a greased cookie sheet and pierce each empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking..
16. Cook empanadas for 18 minutes on middle rack in oven. If the tops aren't golden brown, you can switch the oven to broil and cook for a few more minutes until the tops are golden (make sure you don't burn em!).

These sweet pastry pockets are filled with whatever jam or preserves are in […] However, for most Mexican-American families, pumpkin empanadas are at the top of the dessert list! This Pumpkin Empanada recipe is courtesy of Cynthia Detterick-Pineda of Andrews, TX. Per Cynthia, "Pumpkin pie may not be on the menu for a traditional Mexican-style Thanksgiving, but the Pumpkin Empanada most definitely is. As a child I can rememeber my grandmother making these little pumpkin empanadas. We would have them for dessert or for breakfast.