These cozy little pumpkin empanadas are filled with a sweet and creamy pumpkin maple filling, wrapped in a buttery vanilla-cinnamon shortcrust pastry, and baked until golden. Perfect as a fall snack, appetizer, or dessert, they’re made with simple ingredients and are easy to prepare ahead of time. Just pop them in the oven whenever you’re ready for a warm, freshly baked treat!
The Mood: A Little Taste of Fall
Pumpkin, maple, cinnamon and butter pastry. Everything you love about fall wrapped in one little hand pie. They’re equally at home on a holiday dessert table or enjoyed warm with your morning coffee.
The Alchemy: Pumpkin Meets Maple
Pumpkin and maple are a natural pairing. The maple brings rich, caramel-like sweetness to the pumpkin, while the vanilla-cinnamon shortcrust adds a buttery, delicate bite. It’s a simple combination that makes these little empanadas feel extra special.
Fun Fact: While the pastry resembles a pie dough, I was actually inspired by Filipino empanadas, which typically use a shortcrust pastry when baked. As Filipino empanadas (both baked and fried) were the empanada types I grew up with, these were extra special.
The Mix: Simple Ingredients Make the Perfect Pumpkin Empanadas
A few pantry staples come together to make these sweet pumpkin empanadas.
- Pumpkin Puree: The heart of the filling. Choose pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple Syrup: Adds a lovely depth of sweetness.
- Vanilla and Cinnamon: Bring warmth and fragrance to the butter shortcrust.
- Shortcrust Pastry: A tender, sweet alternative to other types of empanada doughs.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card below.
The Fold: Making Pumpkin Maple Empanadas
These little hand pies are surprisingly simple to put together.
- Prepare the pumpkin maple filling so it has time to cool.
- Make the empanada dough and divide into 12 balls.
- Roll each ball into a circle (or use a lined tortilla press!)
- Spoon the filling into the center, fold, and seal the edges.
- Bake until beautifully golden.
Crimping Technique: Check out the video to see how I crimped the edges. There are various styles of crimping, but you can also just use the tines of a fork and press down at the edges.
Little Secrets: Tips for Perfect Empanadas
- Keep it cool. Make sure the filling is cool before handling.
- Don’t overfill. A little filling goes a long way. Leave enough room to properly seal the edges.
- Seal them well. Press the edges together firmly to help prevent filling from escaping.
- Let them rest. Give the empanadas a few minutes to cool before serving. The filling will be HOT!
The Keep: Make Now, Bake Later
One of the best things about these pumpkin maple empanadas is that you can prepare them ahead of time. Assemble the hand pies, refrigerate them until you’r’e ready to bake, and enjoy them fresh from the oven.
The Final Touch: How to Serve
Enjoy these pumpkin empanadas warm, or just as they are, or with a light dusting of powdered sugar. They’re especially lovely alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea on a crisp fall afternoon.
Pumpkin Maple Empanadas
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Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling
- 15 oz pumpkin purée 1 can
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp cold butter cubed
Empanada Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 egg whisked
- Cold water if needed
- 1 egg whisked, for egg wash
Instructions
Make Pumpkin Filling
- Add pumpkin purée to a small pan and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. This helps remove excess water and concentrate the flavors, while slightly caramelizing the sugars.
- Add the maple syrup, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt. Cook another 5–7 min until thick.
- Stir in vanilla & butter and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Make Empanada Dough
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Cut in the cold, cubed butter and incorporate until you get a sandy mixture.
- Add in the egg and vanilla. Knead the dough just until a smooth dough forms. If dry, add 1 teaspoon of cold water at a time.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Divide the dough into 12 balls. Roll into 4–5″ circles.
- Add 1–1½ tablespoons of pumpkin filling to the center of each circle. Fold and pinch closed into a half-moon shape. Crimp as desired, or press the tines of a fork at the edges to further seal.
- Brush with egg wash. Optional: Poke several holes on top with a toothpick to help steam escape; natural tears may happen if steam needs to escape.
- Bake 27–30 min or until golden brown.
- Enjoy warm or cold (both are delicious).
Notes
Make Ahead:
- You can make the filling and dough separately and refrigerate for up to two days. Bring the dough to room temperature before working.
- You can also fill and shape the empanadas ahead of time and refrigerate them on a lined baking sheet, ideally covered, for up to two days.
- I personally like to bring pre-shaped empanadas closer to room temperature before baking, as very cold dough won’t expand as much and is more prone to cracking and splitting during baking.