Apple Empanadas Apple Hand Pies

These apple empanadas come from my time living in Barcelona when I made it my mission to eat my way through every variety of pastry in the cases of my neighborhood cafes. One day, next to the savory beef and tuna empanadillas, a small collection of sweet empanadas caught my eye. It had never occurred to me to make sweet empanadas! I quickly recognized their similarity to apple hand pies and turnovers, so I embraced my favorite afternoon snack’s sweet variety. The most common filling I found was made with apples. The baked hand pies are sweet, tart, and subtly spiced. In the Barcelona area, they’re called crestes de poma, but they’re common throughout northern Spain as empanadillas de manzana. I quickly found that apple empanadas make a perfect breakfast, dessert, or merienda (afternoon snack) in the colder days of fall and winter. That’s right, it really does get cold in Spain! When I make apple empanadas at home, I form smaller pies than the large empanadas typically found at the cafés. Their smaller size makes them the perfect light indulgence without requiring a siesta afterwards. I also use extra virgin olive oil in the dough, rather than the butter that is more commonly used. The oil imparts a lovely fruity flavor. And, better yet, you don’t have to chill the dough before assembling. For the filling, diced apples are stewed on the stove with cinnamon, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. The flavors are just like a classic apple pie, with a sturdier dough that’s much quicker and easier to work with.

What You Need for Apple Empanadas

These sweet empanadas have a short ingredient list of year-round pantry staples. For recipes with few ingredients, I always recommend using the best quality ingredients for the best flavor.

Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil makes the dough tender and adds richness. Hojiblanca, a Spanish olive varietal, brings a fruity apple flavor to the dough that highlights the filling in these apple hand pies. Sugar: Apples are naturally sweet, so they don’t need much additional sugar, even in a dessert. If you have a sweet tooth and prefer your desserts on the sweeter side, double the sugar in the filling. All-purpose flour: Creates a fluffy, tender dough. Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Apples: For the best flavor and texture, choose apples that are sweet or sweet-tart apples that hold their shape when they’re baked. (See more tips below.) Cinnamon: Apple and cinnamon is a classic pairing, and cinnamon is used liberally in Spanish desserts for its sweet and woody flavor. Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract isn’t as common in Spain as in the States but this nontraditional twist adds depth to the sweet apple filling. Lemon: Lemon juice and zest brighten the apple filling. And who can resist the combination of lemon, apple, cinnamon, and vanilla? Egg: Brushing the empanadas with an egg wash before baking achieves a shiny, golden crust.

How to Make This Apple Empanada Recipe

Apple Empanadas require about an hour of hands-on time. I recommend you reward some helpers with an empanada warm from the oven to speed up the assembly time. A food processor blitzes the dough together, but you can just as easily mix this apple hand pie dough by hand.

Make the dough. Add 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a food processor. Blitz a few times to combine. With the food processor running, stream in 1/2 cup olive oil. Continue to run the food processor and stream in 1/4 cup of tepid water. Pause and scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor to redistribute any dry or wet spots in the dough. Turn the food processor back on and stream in another 1/4 cup of water until the dough comes together into a mass. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix the dough by hand in a large mixing bowl.) Knead the dough. Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and knead by hand until the dough comes together and no dry bits of flour remain, about 30 seconds. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Cover the dough and let it rest while you prepare the apple filling. Start the apple filling. Peel, core, and dice 3 large apples. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, but not smoking, test the temperature by adding 1 apple piece. The apple should sizzle audibly but gently when the pan is hot enough. Adjust the heat if necessary. Add the remaining apples along with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread the apples as close to a single layer as possible in the pan. Caramelize the apples. Cook the apples over medium-high for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin the caramelize. Cooking the apples at a high temperature sears and caramelizes them while keeping them tender instead of soft. The apples retain their juices rather than releasing them into the pan and steaming the apple pieces. Finish the filling. Take the pan off the heat. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Toss to coat the apples evenly. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Preheat the oven. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Assemble the empanadas. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered to prevent them from drying out. With a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. The olive oil in the dough should prevent it from sticking to the counter, but you can sprinkle the dough and work surface with a light dusting of flour as needed if it begins to stick. Stuff the empanadas. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together with your fingertips to seal. You should have a half moon shape. Use your fingers to form the crimp by folding and twisting the edges together. Alternatively, use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges together. Bake: Arrange the empanadas evenly spaced on the lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush a light coating of the egg wash on the tops of the empanadas with a pastry brush and sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

How to Seal Empanadas

It can be tricky to seal and crimp empanadas, especially with this olive oil dough that doesn’t stick as much as traditional dough. Sealing the empanadas properly not only looks nice but also keeps the filling’s juices from leaking onto your sheet pan. To seal empanadas:

Make a half moon. Fold half the dough over the filling, making a half-moon shape. Press the edges together with your fingertips. Option One: Crimp the edges by hand. You can either leave the empanada flat on your work surface or hold it gently in one hand. Start at one end of the empanada and use your thumb and forefinger to fold the edge up and twist, rolling the two edges together towards the center of the empanada. Gently pinch the rolled edge so it holds. Keep folding and twisting the edges in this way until you reach the other end of the empanada. Option Two: Use a Fork. Alternatively, use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges together. This method won’t hold quite as well as the crimped edge but is much easier. For a stronger seal, brush the circumference of the dough with egg wash before folding it over the filling.

Best Apples to Use for Apple Empanadas

When it comes to apple hand pies, I like Fuji apples the best. They’re naturally sweet, hold their shape exceptionally well, and are easy to find year-round. In Spain, they’d likely use juicy and flavorful Reineta apples, which you may be able to find at a local orchard as “Reinette.” Other common varieties that would work well in these empanadas are Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Braeburn, or a mix of apples. Because this recipe doesn’t call for much sugar, I’d stick to varieties that are sweet or sweet-tart, instead of sour varieties like Granny Smith.

Swaps and Variations

These apple empanadas have a short ingredient list and a simple method, so you can easily modify them to fit the season or your taste.

Try using other fruits. Apple hand pies are endlessly adaptable. Try using pears or a mix of apples and pears in fall and winter. In the summer, swap out the apples for sweet stone fruits like peaches or apricots. Change up the seasoning. So many Spanish desserts use lemon and cinnamon for their bright, floral, and woody combination, but you can play with other flavors. Piney cardamom is amazing with apples. Apples also pair well with anise, rosemary, orange peel, or even rose water or orange blossom water. Add more of a caramel flavor. Sweeten the filling with brown sugar or honey in place of the granulated sugar. Use the same volume or sweeten to taste. Honey may brown or burn faster while you cook the filling on the stove, so keep an eye so it doesn’t scorch. Use store-bought empanada dough, pie dough, or puff pastry. This is also a great option if you’re gluten-free.

What to Serve with Apple Empanadas

Spaniards tend to eat pastries for breakfast or during an afternoon coffee break instead of after a meal. Serve these apple hand pies with a cup of coffee, tea, or a carajillo, and enjoy the merienda. Because they’re not overly sweet, you can feel good packing them as a lunchbox treat (and not just in your kid’s lunchbox!). Browse all Mediterranean recipes.