Strawberry Empanadas (baked, not fried)

4.80 from 5 votes
8 Comments

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These Strawberry Empanadas are the perfect dessert with any Mexican dish. Sweet, delicious, and so easy to make, your whole family will love them!

Three strawberry empanadas on a plate next to a bowl of strawberries
Featured with this recipe
  1. What is an Empanada?
  2. Ingredients in Strawberry Empanadas
  3. So Many Fillings, So Little Time
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. 5-Star Reviews
  6. Make a Mexican Feast
  7. How To Make Strawberry Empanadas
  8. Baked Strawberry Empanadas Recipe

At the end of any great meal, sometimes you just want to finish with something sweet. This dessert empanada is a combination of warm, crunchy tortilla, sweet strawberry filling, and cinnamon sugar on top.

What is an Empanada?

An empanada is a Spanish or Latin American pastry turnover that can feature a variety of sweet or savory fillings, prepared either baked or fried. The word “empanada” translates literally to mean “enbreaded.” In other words, wrapped or coated in bread. Yum! Right? We use this baked method with tortillas, instead of dough, for convenience. We have a great recipe for homemade flour tortillas that is amazing with this recipe. But if you want to take the easier route, you can usually find raw flour tortillas in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can also find them at Costco.

Ingredients in Strawberry Empanadas

  • Raw flour tortillas
  • Strawberries
  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Butter
  • Vanilla
  • Cinnamon
Strawberry Empanadas stacked on a plate


So Many Fillings, So Little Time

There are a variety of fillings that you can use in addition to fresh strawberries. Here are a few more sweet fillings to try with this recipe:

  • Substitute fresh berries or sliced fresh peaches in place of the strawberries
  • Nutella and strawberries (spread Nutella on the inside of the tortilla before adding the strawberry filling)
  • Strawberry cheesecake (mix 4 ounces cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, spread on the inside of the tortilla before adding the strawberry filling)
  • Banana filling (mix 4 cups of sliced bananas with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
  • Chocolate banana filling (same as above, but add a handful of chocolate chips)
  • Apple filling (mix 4 cups of sliced apples with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to bake or fry empanadas?

It really depends on your taste. Baking empanadas is a healthier way to go, but takes a little longer to cook. The crust of the empanada is softer, but if baked properly, still has a crisp outer shell. Fried empanadas cook up quicker and are crispier, but can also be greasy.

What are fruit filled empanadas made of?

All kinds of fruits can be used to fill dessert empanadas. We use fresh strawberries in this recipe, but apples, peaches, apricots, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and bananas can all be used for the fruit filling.

What are empanadas usually filled with?

Traditionally empanadas are filled with a savory filling. Chicken, pork, and beef are common fillings along with vegetables, and/or cheese.

5-Star Reviews

“So, so good!! They were gone within seconds!! My family wants to try with other fruits!”

-Kristyn

“Thanks a lot for this strawberry empanada! Very delicious and easy to make! Thank you!”

-Alyssa

Make a Mexican Feast

Gear up for Cinco de Mayo, or any day of the year and enjoy a Mexican feast. Try some of our most popular Mexican-inspired recipes!

How To Make Strawberry Empanadas

Baked Strawberry Empanadas

4.80 from 5 votes
These Strawberry Empanadas are the perfect dessert to any Mexican dish! They are super easy to make and so yummy!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican/Spanish
Servings 8

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Mix water and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When heated and melted together, slowly add in the sugar/cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly. Continue to stir over heat until sauce becomes thick, then remove from heat and add the vanilla.
    Cornstarch and sugar mixture in a pot
  • While the mixture cools, slices the strawberries and place them in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the strawberries.
    Glazed strawberries in a bowl
  • Add a spoonful of the strawberry filling along the center of a raw tortilla.
  • Wrap the tortilla up and try to fold in the edges so the sauce stays inside. Lightly brush the top of the empanada with butter then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Place each one on a baking sheet.
    strawberry empanadas on a baking sheet before they are cooked
  • Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, until tortillas are cooked and golden.
    Strawberry Empanadas stacked on a plate

Notes

More Filling Options

  • Substitute fresh berries or sliced fresh peaches in place of the strawberries
  • Nutella and strawberries (spread Nutella on the inside of the tortilla before adding the strawberry filling)
  • Strawberry cheesecake (mix 4 ounces cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, spread on the inside of the tortilla before adding the strawberry filling)
  • Banana filling (mix 4 cups of sliced bananas with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
  • Chocolate banana filling (same as above, but add a handful of chocolate chips)
  • Apple filling (mix 4 cups of sliced apples with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Nutrition Information

Calories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 309mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 361IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Homemade Empanadas are the absolute BEST! I love that you can fill them with any kind of fruit you prefer. We like to add whip cream or ice cream with them too.