Today we’re making homemade empanada dough that can be used to make pastelillos, empanadas, and so much more! It’s made with just 5 ingredients (flour, butter, salt, egg, and water) and comes together in less than an hour.

a raw empanada

If you’ve ever had Latin American or Puerto Rican cuisine, you know how special empanadas are.

This 5 ingredient empanada dough is super easy to make and so much fun to roll out and fill with whatever you’re craving.

  • Use your favorite shredded meat, cheese, or veggies
  • Make traditional Puerto Rican empanadillas with this savory picadillo filling
  • Stuff with your favorite pie filling for a sweet treat

The options are endless! However you decide to fill your dough, the end result is fun to eat and makes a wonderful snack, appetizer, or side dish.

Keep reading for more filling ideas.

empanadas on a plate

Ingredients

Here are the five ingredients you’ll need to make your own empanada dough:

  • all purpose flour
  • salt
  • butter (unsalted), melted
  • egg yolks
  • water

See recipe card for quantities.

ingredients to make empanada dough

Instructions

Tip: If the dough feels too wet, add flour a one tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to your hands.

Keep reading for more ideas on how to fill and fry/bake.

picadillo filling in a pan

Filling Ideas

These are some of my favorite routes of inspiration to take when picking a filling for my empanada dough:

  • Keep it Classic – a classic ground beef picadillo filling will never disappoint
  • Guava & Cheese – guava and cream cheese is a pairing we know works and it’s absolutely delicious stuffed inside this empanada dough
  • Apple/Cherry Pie – I’m a huge fan of sweet empanadas, and using any kind of fruit that’s in season and available! Highly recommend making your favorite pie filling and adding a scoop to the middle of your empanadas.
a raw empanada

Folding & Closing Your Empanadas

An easy and visually satisfying method is using a fork to crimp the edges shut.

That said, there are many fun ways to close and seal your empanada dough.

In my family, we place the filling in the inner section of half of the circular section of dough and add a dab of water to the outer edge of half the circle.

From there, it’s as simple as folding the empty half over the filling and it’s time to seal them.

If you’re feeling adventurous, I recommend closing the edge starting at one end, folding the extra dough over your finger, then continuing this motion until the entire empanada is sealed (pictured above).

This method takes some practice but is a lot of fun to make!

empanadas on a plate

How to Cook the Dough (Baked vs. Fried)

There are a few options to consider when cooking your empanadas. You can bake them, fry them in shallow oil, or deep fry.

If baking in the oven or air fryer, you’ll need to brush with an egg wash (equal parts egg and water, whisked together). I like to bake at 400 degrees for at 20-30 minutes in the oven or 10-15 minutes in the air fryer.

You can also fry them on each side in shallow oil over medium high heat or deep fry like I do in my empanadilla recipe.

In all instances, you’ll know the dough is done when it appears golden brown and flakey.

Store Bought Empanada Dough

If you’re really in a pinch, you can find empanada dough at the store or online.

If you can’t find it in a store locally and don’t want to purchase online, I recommend using store-bought pie dough.

egg wash being brushed on an empanada

Empanada Dough vs. Pie Dough

As mentioned above many people will use their favorite pre-made pie dough to make empanadas.

This is because the ingredients for most dough recipes are very similar. Most pie doughs use flour, butter, salt, water, and sometimes egg; an ingredient list almost identical to those needed for this recipe!

empanada dough being made

Equipment

You will want something to roll out the empanada dough, like a rolling pin. You can use your hands if you don’t have one.

If you plan to bake the empanadas, you will also need baking sheets and a pastry brush to brush on the egg wash.

empanadas on a plate

Freezer Tips

Great news – this empanada dough is freezer friendly!

It’s actually an excellent recipe to make ahead and have stored in the freezer for whenever you have some leftover picadillo, fruit that’s overripe and needs to be used, or have a random craving.

I recommend stacking the discs with squares of parchment paper in between them so they don’t stick.

Wrap tightly (but gently) in plastic wrap and thaw completely before using.

Buen provecho,

Salima written in cursive
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
a raw empanada on a white counter

Foolproof 5 Ingredient Empanada Dough

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 49 reviews
  • Author: Salima Benkhalti
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Category: Entree, Dinner, Lunch
  • Method: Processed
  • Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Description

Today we’re making homemade empanada dough that can be used to make pastelillos, empanadas, and so much more! It’s made with just 5 ingredients (flour, butter, salt, egg, and water) and comes together in less than an hour. 


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter (unsalted), melted
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients. Mix the flour with the salt in a large bowl to combine.
  2. Add wet ingredients. Add the melted butter, egg yolks, and water to the flour mixture.
  3. Work the dough. Mix together until a dough begins to form. Transfer to a flour dusted surface and continue to knead until a consistent ball of dough forms. If the dough feels too wet, add flour a one tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to your hands.
  4. Chill. Cover the dough with a towel and let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Roll. Divide the dough into quarters, then into eighths, then sixteenths, then into 32 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. On a flour dusted surface roll each ball into a round circle using a rolling pin.
  6. Fill & fry or bake. From here, you’re ready to fill your empanada dough with whatever you like. Make sure to not overfill your empanada dough, brush edges with water, and crimp the dough shut using a fork. See notes for directions on how to fry or bake.

Notes

  • This recipe makes about 16 large empanadas or 32 small ones.
  • To bake: brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and flakey
  • To fry: fry in 350°F oil on both sides until golden brown and flakey
  • To freeze: stack empanada dough discs in between pieces of parchment paper and wrap in plastic wrap. Thaw before filling, sealing and cooking.