These flaky pumpkin empanadas are perfect for fall! The use of baking powder gives them a fluffiness not usually seen in pie crust, and the anise oil adds a delicious layer of complexity to the more mundane pumpkin-and-allspice filling.

About The World of Mexican Cooking

This recipe is from the 1971 cookbook The World of Mexican Cooking by Mary M. Curry.

Curry, Mary M, and Betty Stiff. The World of Mexican Cooking. Los Angeles: Nash Pub, 1971. P 28-29. [TX716 .M4 C87 1971].

The World of Mexican Cooking (1971) by Mary Margaret Curry. UTSA Libraries Special Collections

What are empanadas?

Empanadas consist of corn or wheat flour dough rolled into circles and folded over any number of possible fillings and either baked or fried. In various parts of Mexico they also go by other names such as los pastes (Hidalgo), los turcos (Nuevo León), and los volovanes (in Southern Mexico). [1]

Sweet empanadas may be filled with a wide variety of ingredients, including mango, guava, pecans coconut, or pumpkin. In The World of Mexican Cooking, Mary Margaret Curry offers a recipe for pumpkin-filled empanadas, with just a hint of licorice-flavor from anise oil.

Original Recipe

Ingredients:

Anise oil: This is an aromatic oil, used in baking, made with anise seed. The flavor is reminiscent of licorice. It can be found in the baking section of your local grocery store.

Canned Pumpkin: For this recipe, you can use canned unsweetened pumpkin or sweet potato. Like the kind used for pumpkin pie.

Allspice: Also known as Jamaica pepper or pimienta gorda. This recipe calls for ground allspice, which can be found in your local grocery store’s spice section. It calls for 1 teaspoon which results in a very strong flavor, if you’re not a fan of strongly spiced baked goods reduce to 1/2 teaspoon.

How to Make Pumpkin Empanadas Step by Step

Sift dry ingredients in a bowl and add shortening.

Using a pastry cutter cut the shortening into the flour mixture.

Combine the milk, sugar, and anise oil.

Add the milk mixture to the bowl with the flour.

Using a fork, stir just until dough follows fork around bowl.

Knead two or three times on a floured surface.

Combine canned pumpkin, sugar, anise oil, and allspice and mix.

Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut into four inch circles.

Place one heaping teaspoon on one half of the circle of dough.

Fold dough over.

Crimp with a fork.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Expert Tricks and Tips

This was a fairly straight-forward recipe, but I did make a couple of alterations. When it came time to fill the empanadas, I found that 1 teaspoon of filling just didn’t look like enough, nor would it come close to using all of the 16 oz. can of pumpkin. I decided that in this instance Curry may have meant a silverware teaspoon, rather than a measuring teaspoon. Since the filling is quite thick, a heaping scoop from a dinnerware spoon is closer to 1-2 tablespoons This amount filled the empanadas better and used all of the filling.

Curry notes that she often makes a large batch of empanadas and then freezes them to bake later. This is something I’ll definitely need to try! Fresh-from-the-oven empanadas would make a delightful addition to any weekend brunch.

Serving

Let them cool slightly after pulling them from the oven and enjoy while they are still warm.

Storing

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze before baking, defrost them, and bake at 450°F.