Pilar's Chilean Food & Garden

  • Chilean recipes
  • Chilean Pantry
  • Cookbook
  • Sitio en Español
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Chilean recipes
  • Chilean Pantry
  • Cookbook
  • Sitio en Español
search icon
Homepage link
  • Chilean recipes
  • Chilean Pantry
  • Cookbook
  • Sitio en Español
×

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe

Published: Aug 9, 2022 · Modified: Nov 26, 2023 by Pilar Hernandez · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Versión en español

A traditional and handy recipe for Empanada dough, you can use it for baking or frying. Enjoy. Empanadas are a staple of Latin cuisine, found in all countries with different fillings.Empanada Dough

Tips for some delicious empanadas:

Can I freeze the empanada dough?

I do not recommend it. The dough gets very difficult to work.

Is this dough good for fried empanadas?

Yes, the recipe for the dough is the same. Heat the oil to 350F or 180C, no more, or the empanadas will remain raw inside and very golden on the outside.

What can I do so the empanadas do not burst in the oven?

It is essential to keep an eye on them and prick them with a toothpick when they inflate so that the steam escapes and does not burst.Empanadas de pino

Why do you recommend dividing the dough into portions, not rolling half, and cutting the rounds with a plate?

The more times you roll the dough, gather leftovers, and use it again, the more challenging to work the dough becomes. It loses flexibility, and the dough bakes hard because it develops a lot of gluten.

Do you have a sweet empanada dough recipe to recommend?

Yes, this one is easy to work with and has a great flavor: Pear Empanadas.

Uses of Empanada Dough in Chile:

The most traditional ones are the Empanadas de Pino (onion, beef, hard-boiled egg, raisins). Many families eat them every Sunday for the big family lunch. Also, Fried Shrimp and cheese Empanadas are found in coastal towns and restaurants. Kids are usually big fans of the Cheese Empanada.

For more filling recipes, I recommend:

Argentinian Empanadas (Mendocinas)

 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Homemade Empanada Dough Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Pilar Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 20
  • Category: Savory
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Chilean
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

A basic empanada dough, perfect for the oven or to fry.


Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk • 1 cup of hot water • 1 tablespoon fine salt • 1000 grams all-purpose flour • 2 eggs • 180 grams lard, butter or shortening, melted

Instructions

1.    Make a brine with the milk, hot water, and salt, and stir to dissolve the salt completely.

Ingredients for empanada dough

2. Mix the flour and eggs in a large bowl or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and mix for a minute to incorporate. Add the melted shortening and work a little more. At this point, you will see only crumbs.

Empanada dough
3.    To form the dough, add the brine with the mixer running on low speed until the dough is soft and flexible. If you need more moisture, keep adding water (1 teaspoon at a time).

Homemade empanadas
4.    Separate the dough into 20 portions and cover with a moist cloth. Work each piece individually, rolling until thin, cut in a circle of about 7" and fill with your choice of filling and bake.

Dividing the doughEmpanada dough

rolling of the doughCheese on dough Empanada shaping Empanada tray


Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 281
  • Sugar: 0.8 g
  • Sodium: 357.2 mg
  • Fat: 10.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38.9 g
  • Fiber: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 6.1 g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @chileanfoodandgarden on Instagram and hashtag it #chileanfoodandgarden

Fried Cheese Empanadas Homemade Empanadas Homemade Empanadas






 

More Chilean recipes

  • Dulce de Leche bars
    Dulce de Leche bars
  • Chilean Choripan
    Chilean Choripán
  • Clery Strawberry White Wine Punch
    Clery Strawberry White Wine Punch
  • Chancho en Piedra, Chilean Recipe
    Chancho en Piedra

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Philip Roman says

    April 16, 2021 at 8:38 pm

    I have tried this recipe and my empanada dough comes out like biscuits. Flaky and crumbles.. help what am I doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      April 17, 2021 at 1:11 pm

      Are you using the ingredients at the temperatures prescribe? that's is very important, and no substitution. Also, it's a lot easier doing it with a machine: bread machine, kitchenaid, even the food processor with the dough attachment, it requires over 20 minutes of needing by hand and vigorous.

      Reply
  2. Grace Decoske says

    September 21, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    Thank you so much! This was the best recipe for Chilean empanadas!! Quedaron super!! 😋

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      September 22, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      I'm so glad!!! Viva Chile 🙂

      Reply
  3. Liliana (Lily) Waissbluth says

    July 20, 2020 at 12:57 am

    Hola Pilar. Hice la receta para la masa de empanadas y me sobro y la envolvi en plastic wrap y la congele. La saque y me salieron 4 empanadas y tenia congelado pino que me sobro tambien, y salieron fantasticas. Vivo aqui hace como 50 anos y me encanta cocinar y lo que hare la proxima ves es usar la lucuma en polvo para la torta de merengue que a mi familia la enloquece( a mi tambien). Siempre me traia de Chile la Lucuma en pure y no habia tenido ningun problema, pero ahora no viajamos asi que no sabia que hacer. Compre la lucuma en polvo y hice una receta de flan de lucumas y no tiene nada que ver con the real thing. Pero voy a probar tu metodo de usarlo en crema batiendolo. Me gustaria comprar tu libro porque hago mucha comida chilena.
    Liliana

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      July 20, 2020 at 1:10 pm

      Gracias Liliana por comentar. El libro sale el 6 de octubre y tiene 30% recetas del blog y el resto son nuevas. Gracias por el apoyo.

      Reply
  4. Enrique Goldenberg says

    July 06, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    Can you please use something different from shortening. Shortening is like eating poison and it is forbidden in many places in the USA

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      July 07, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      You can use lard or butter, no problem.

      Reply
  5. Margot says

    May 04, 2020 at 5:48 pm

    Wonderful recipe! Thank you so much for this website. My mother never cooks with measured ingredients, and she doesn't have the patience to write down her recipes:) I have made these empanadas 4 times now and I love them. I have adjusted the spices as I add more cumin , but otherwise it is similar. I made these yesterday and dropped them off at my parent's house to stay socially distant during these quarantine times. They were so happy to have them. I look forward to your cookbook!

    Reply
    • Pilar Hernandez says

      May 05, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      That is amazing Margot. Welcome to the site and let me know if you have any questions or more successes in the kitchen.

      Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

¡Hola!

Pilar Hernandez portrait
I'm Pilar Hernandez, a Latina mom, blogger since 2008, and urban farmer.

Chilean Kitchen cover
Buy my cookbook

Popular Recipes

  • Dulce de Leche Rice Pudding
  • Chilean Beef Empanadas de Pino
  • Chilean Sopaipillas with Pumpkin
  • Milhojas or Thousand Layers Cake
  • Pastel de Choclo Corn and Beef Casserole
  • Argentinian Medialunas
  • Calzones rotos
    Chilean Calzones Rotos
  • Traditional Chilean Alfajores
  • Raspberry Mousse
  • Pan Amasado Recipe
    Pan Amasado Chilean Country Bread

Footer

About me

Licensing

Privacy