Hi, I am Kathy, and I make empanadas when the day needs a hug in pastry form. This empanadas recipe keeps the dough tender, and it bakes into crisp edges that sing when you bite. It works for a flaky empanada dough recipe and it pairs with an authentic empanadas recipe feel. I learned it the hard way after a batch that looked fine but chewed like a gym shoe. Now I rest the dough and I keep the butter cold. The dough rolls easy, seals clean, and smells like warm butter as it bakes. When I want a change, I use it for an apple empanadas recipe or a vegetarian empanadas recipe. Friends ask for seconds, and I pretend to be surprised. We both know I made extras on purpose. You can fill it with empanadas recipe chicken or a pork empanadas recipe if that is your mood. I use a glass to cut rounds when I misplace the cutter, which is often. Flour on the counter, music in the room, and a tray ready. Simple steps, calm pace, good food. From Simply Cooked Recipes, where we cook with a smile and eat with both hands.

1 Key Takeaways
2 Easy Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe
3 Ingredients for Homemade Empanada Dough
4 How to Make Homemade Empanada Dough
5 Tips for Making Homemade Empanada Dough
6 Making Homemade Empanada Dough Ahead of Time
7 Storing Leftover Homemade Empanada Dough
8 Try these Baking recipes next
9 Homemade Empanada Dough
10 Nutrition

1 Key Takeaways

I am Kathy from Simply Cooked Recipes at https://www.simplycookedrecipes.com. I shape dough on a quiet counter and I keep the steps close and clear. I lean on an empanadas recipe that stays tender and bakes with crisp edges. The dough rests well. The flavor reads clean with butter and a light touch of vinegar.

The mix comes together in one bowl. Cold butter holds its shape. A short chill keeps layers. Rolling feels easy because the dough stays calm. You can swap fillings without stress. Think chicken, pork, or a fast apple mix.

Plan on simple tools. A bowl, a fork, and a glass work. That is the charm. The goal stays steady. You get flaky pastry that does not fight back. In short, it is practical, forgiving, and tasty.

2 Easy Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe

I reach for this empanadas recipe when dinner needs a save and I need a win. This empanadas recipe warms the kitchen and invites people to hover near the oven. I say that with a grin because it happens every time. The dough needs no mixer. My hands do the work and I like that slow rhythm.

The flavor sits rich but light. Butter gives lift and tender bite. Vinegar cuts the gluten just enough so the crust stays gentle. Texture matters here. I want layers that crackle and a center that bends, not breaks. This classic empanadas recipe delivers that feel without fuss or worry.

Call it a weeknight empanadas recipe if you want. I can start after work and still sit down on time. The method scales well. Double it when friends come by. The crust welcomes many fillings from authentic empanadas recipe beef picadillo to a sweet apple empanadas recipe that perfumes the room.

3 Ingredients for Homemade Empanada Dough

All purpose flour I use a scoop and level measure so the dough stays balanced. The flour forms the base and gives the crust a soft bite that holds a fold without cracking.

Fine salt A small spoon wakes flavor. It sharpens the butter notes and keeps the dough from tasting flat. I like the way fine grains blend fast.

Sugar A small hint rounds edges on the palate. It does not make the crust sweet. It just helps browning and adds a gentle depth that kids notice first.

Cold unsalted butter Small cubes stay visible in the mix. They melt in the oven and leave thin spaces that make a flaky empanada dough recipe feel. That is the secret many grandmas guard.

Large egg The egg binds the dough and adds color. I beat it with cold water so the mix stays cool and smooth. The richness gives the pastry a tender chew.

Ice water Chilled water keeps butter firm. I add it slow so the dough looks shaggy first, then it comes together in a soft mass. Patience pays off here.

White vinegar A spoon lifts flavor and relaxes gluten. That small edge gives a from scratch empanadas recipe a softer bite and fewer tough spots.

Extra flour I dust the board and the rolling pin. Light dusting keeps sticking away and avoids a heavy crust. A little goes a long way.

Egg wash A quick brush sets shine and deep gold color. It also helps a neat seal on each pocket so the filling stays put.

4 How to Make Homemade Empanada Dough

Step one Chill the bowl for a short time. Whisk flour, salt, and sugar. The mix looks even and light. Cold tools help you keep flakes later.

Step two Work in the butter with a cutter or fingertips. Stop when you see pea size bits. You want clear pieces that will melt and leave thin layers.

Step three Beat the egg with ice water and vinegar. Drizzle over the flour mix. Toss with a fork. The dough should look shaggy and still a little dry in spots.

Step four Press the mix with your hands. If it crumbles, spritz a spoon of cold water. Press again. It should hold together without feeling sticky.

Step five Shape a disk. Wrap and chill so the gluten rests. Thirty minutes gives a calm dough that rolls without fight.

Step six Dust the counter. Roll the dough to thin even sheets. Cut rounds with a cutter or a glass. The edges should look neat and smooth.

Step seven Fill, fold, and crimp. Brush with egg wash. Bake at three hundred ninety five F until deep gold or fry in hot oil until crisp. Let the pastry cool a bit so steam settles.

5 Tips for Making Homemade Empanada Dough

Keep things cold. I chill flour and tools when the kitchen runs warm. Butter needs that cool to keep its shape. The payoff shows in the layers. The crust tastes light and tender, never tough.

Roll with care. Work from the center out. Quarter turns keep shape even. Light dusting keeps the dough free and moving. If cracks show, pinch and move on. Perfection is not the point. Pleasure is the point.

Think fillings. An empanadas recipe chicken mix loves this crust. So does pork with sweet onion. A vegetarian empanadas recipe with beans and peppers makes a bright plate. The dough lets each option shine.

6 Making Homemade Empanada Dough Ahead of Time

I often mix a double batch on a slow Sunday and park disks in the fridge. The rest overnight deepens flavor and gives a calmer roll on Monday. The schedule feels kind to future me.

Wrapped disks keep well for two days in the fridge. For longer time, I freeze the dough flat so it thaws fast. A label helps me track dates so nothing lingers too long.

For make ahead fillings, I cool them to room temp before I build pockets. Hot filling steams the dough and weakens the seal. With this plan, you get an authentic empanadas recipe feel on a weeknight without stress.

7 Storing Leftover Homemade Empanada Dough

Extra rounds go on a sheet with parchment and a dust of flour. I stack with paper between layers and slide the stack into a bag. Air out means freezer burn out. Simple math.

Baked pockets cool to warm, then I move them to a rack. When cool, they go into a box with a tight lid. The crust keeps its snap for a day on the counter and longer in the fridge.

Reheat in a hot oven for a few minutes. The crust wakes up and turns crisp again. This method saves that flaky empanada dough recipe texture that we love and keeps the kitchen smelling like butter.

8 Try these Baking recipes next

9 Homemade Empanada Dough