Why This Recipe Works

Empanadas are Latin American hand pies that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, flavors, and more. Sure, you can buy empanada dough, but making it yourself is a fun family project! Our dough bakes up crisp and flaky, quickly comes together in a food processor, and is supereasy to roll out and shape. It’s also neutral in flavor, meaning you can fill it with sweet or savory ingredients. We suggest using this dough to make Empanadas de Piña y Coco (Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas), but help kids tap into their kitchen creativity by coming up with other filling ideas. What meats, veggies, and cheeses could they fill their empanadas with? How about sweet ingredients, such as fruit or chocolate chips? Encourage kids to get creative with the ingredient pairings! (If kids want to try any of them, make sure their filling isn’t runny or liquid and use 1 tablespoon per empanada.)

Before You Begin

You can use this empanada dough to make Empanadas de Piña y Coco (Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas). To measure ice water: Fill a large glass with ice and water and place glass in the refrigerator until right before you need it. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a liquid measuring cup. Place the measuring cup on a scale (if using) and tare the scale. Pour the water through the fine-mesh strainer to measure the desired amount of water. Discard the ice.

Instructions

Place flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Lock lid into place. Turn on processor and process mixture for 3 seconds. Stop processor.

Remove lid and sprinkle chilled butter pieces over flour mixture. Lock lid back into place. Hold down pulse button for 1 second, then release. Repeat until mixture looks like coarse crumbs, eight to ten 1-second pulses.

Remove lid and add egg and water. Lock lid back into place. Turn on processor and process until dough comes together into smooth ball, 30 to 45 seconds. Stop processor.

Remove lid and carefully remove processor blade (ask an adult for help). Transfer dough to clean counter.

Use bench scraper or butter knife to cut dough in half. Form each dough piece into 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (This is a good time to make your filling! See Empanadas de Piña y Coco [Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas].)

When ready to fill and shape empanadas, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Sprinkle flour over clean counter. Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place on floured counter, and sprinkle dough with a little extra flour. Use rolling pin to roll dough into 14-inch circle (about ¼ inch thick), rotating dough and reflouring counter as needed if dough begins to stick, following photos, “Step-by-Step: How to Roll Out Empanada Dough,” below.

Use 4½-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 rounds of dough. Discard dough scraps. Transfer dough rounds to parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Repeat rolling and cutting with second disk of empanada dough to make 6 more dough rounds.

Fill and shape empanadas following directions in Empanadas de Piña y Coco (Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas) recipe.