Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry). Try this Pumpkin Empanada recipe this fall. They are little pastry hand pies filled with a sweet pumpkin filling. An empanada is a stuffed As part of a Mexican tradition, pumpkin empanadas are made both on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My whole family loved these and they gobbled. How to Make Mexican Pumpkin Empanadas, Empanadas de Calabaza. Empanada Pastry: In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, warm water, yeast, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. You can cook Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry) using 17 ingredients and 16 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry)

1. You need of Pumpkin Filling.
2. It's 4 tbsp of butter.
3. You need 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
4. You need 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. It's 2 tsp of baking powder.
10. It's 1/2 tsp of salt.
11. You need 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening.
12. You need 2 large of eggs.
13. Prepare 1/2 cup of whole milk.
14. Prepare 2 tbsp of white sugar.
15. Prepare of Sugar/Cinnamon Topping.
16. Prepare 1/4 cup of white sugar.
17. It's 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Stir real well to dissolve real good. Take chilled pastry dough out of refrigerator and divide it in half. Return the remaining half to refrigerator. Every family has different Christmas traditions.

Tasty Pumpkin Empanadas (An Authentic Mexican Pastry) instructions

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!).

One of my family's favorites is Pumpkin Empanadas on Christmas morning! I remember my own mother making empanadas for me and my. These pumpkin empanadas are just heavenly! Add the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or two blunt knives to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles crumbs.