This insanely tasty dessert is a popular South American treat. Flavorwise, it’s right up there with all my favorite Caribbean and African sweets. As it turns out, most cultures love a good hand pie, especially for dessert. 😋 Don’t let making empanadas from scratch intimidate you. Making them is probably a lot easier than you imagined. And if you’ve any experience at all making pies or pastries, it will be a breeze. This recipe is simple enough that even a first-time pastry maker can achieve empanada success!
Ingredients for This Recipe
How to Make Pineapple Empanadas
Prep the Empanadas
Freeze Butter. Place the diced butter in a plastic bag and freeze for 20-30 minutes while you gather the other ingredients. Dry Ingredients. Next, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a food processor. Cream Cheese and Eggs. Then, add the cream cheese and butter and pulse just until the crumbs of dough are the size of peas. Next, add the eggs and pulse everything 4-5 times until the dough comes together. Knead. Remove dough and knead 3-4 times on a floured surface. Refrigerate while you make the filling. Mix. In a medium saucepan, add the pineapple, butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium until it thickens. Set aside and let cool.
Assemble Them
Roll. When ready to assemble, place the dough on a well-floured surface and roll it out. Cut out circles by gently pressing on the dough with a large-mouth glass, cookie cutter, or even a small 3-4″ bowl. Continue until all the dough has been cut. Fill. Next, scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling into each circle. Fold the dough over the pineapple filling and press the edges together gently. To seal with your fingers, twist the edges of the empanadas until they have a braided look around the outer edge. Egg Wash. Carefully place each empanada on a baking sheet to bake or you may freeze to use later. Once arranged on the baking sheet, brush each empanada with egg wash. Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 15-18 minutes until cooked through.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
Make the empanadas as per the recipe instructions without baking, and then store them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to bake them. They’ll last frozen for up to three months. Or you can refrigerate them for up to two days. You don’t need to thaw frozen empanadas before baking. Instead, pop them in the oven and add 6-8 minutes to the cooking time.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve pineapple empanadas hot or at room temperature. They taste great either way. Refrigerate leftovers for 3-5 days. Reheat them in an oven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes at 325℉ (160℃) if you want them hot.
What Goes With Pineapple Empanadas
Pineapple empanadas are the perfect follow-up to a hearty meal of brown sugar glazed ham and Caribbean rice and beans. They also taste great as a snack paired with indulgent warm drinks like ginger tea or a chai tea latte. 🤤
More Tasty Pineapple Recipes to Try
This blog post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated with additional tips