Honey Walnut Empanadas

Even different Spanish and Latin American countries have their own twist on empanadas!

My partner The California Walnut Board recently challenged me to come up with a recipe surrounding the theme of Walnuts Around the World.

At first I struggled thinking of a sweet idea that had any worldly flair. Then I remembered one of my all time favorite foods can be made sweet or savory: empanadas!

I grew up loving empanadas as a special treat. My dad is Dominican, and you can bet that everywhere we’ve lived in the United States he’s somehow found Latino families who will make his favorite treats to remind him of home.

In fact, our family friends own an empanada themed restaurant right here in the Phoenix area called Republica Empanada. So needless to say, we love empanadas.

Which is why it made perfect sense to create my own sweet dessert version of empanadas for this challenge! I landed on these Honey Walnut Empanadas which are majorly delish!

I filled these with honey and walnuts, and a little cream cheese. The pastry itself is surprisingly easy to make, but is super rich, buttery, and flaky. The cinnamon sugar coating is a must for an extra burst of flavor and crunchy texture.

If you make and enjoy these Honey Walnut Empanadas, snap a picture and share it on Instagram, tagging #handletheheat!

How to make

Honey Walnut Empanadas

Yield: 18 empanadas

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

Honey Walnut Empanadas feature a buttery flaky crust filled with cream cheese, honey, and walnuts then topped with cinnamon sugar. Baked, not fried!

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 2 3/4 cups (350 grams) flour

For the filling:

• 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (84 grams) honey
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) chopped California walnuts

For coating:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Make the dough:

1. Heat the water and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Add in the sugar, salt, and flour. Remove from heat and stir with a wooden spoon until a wet and oily dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Make the filling:

1. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and honey until well combined. Add the egg and beat until combined. Stir in the flour and walnuts. Mixture will be runny.

Assemble and bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch circles. Roll each circle slightly to further flatten before sealing the corners to prevent the filling from running out while assembling.
3. Pour about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling inside each pocket. Press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp with the back of a fork.
4. Make ahead: At this point the unbaked empanadas can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day. They can also be frozen and baked straight from the freezer, just add about 3 minutes to the baking time.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. In another small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Brush the empanadas with egg wash then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with #handletheheat so we can all see!

Recipe by Tessa Arias