Empanada Dough Recipe – Flaky,
Buttery, Foolproof
Let us be honest: once you make
this dough, you’ll never want to mess with store-bought wrappers again. It’s
everything you want—soft and a little flaky like pie crust, but strong enough
to survive enthusiastic folding and a heaping scoop of filling. The flavor is
buttery, lightly salty, and it turns into a rich golden color when baked or
fried. Crispy edges? Every time. You get about 16 medium discs out of a batch,
and beginners won’t have trouble with it. No fancy tools or intimidating steps
here—just easy, reliable dough and perfect empanadas.
Why You’ll Love It
Honestly, I’m obsessed with this
recipe because I stopped counting how many tough, dry, or too-sticky disasters
I made before landing on this. The best part is how versatile it is—you can
bake it for a crisp, biscuit-like crust or fry it and watch it puff and
blister. Folding is a dream: nothing sticks, nothing tears, and you barely need
any water to seal it. No stand mixer? Just use your hands. The whole process
takes around ten minutes, plus a rest while you handle fillings. It makes
empanada night fun instead of stressful. Once you try it, there’s no going
back.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 (just for
dough), 20–25 minutes if you bake the empanadas.
Total: 1 hour 20
minutes (includes 1 hour resting)
Yield: 16 medium
discs (makes about 4 servings—4 empanadas each)
Difficulty: Easy/Beginner
Ingredients
·
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, plus more for
dusting
·
1 tsp fine sea salt
·
½ tsp sugar (optional, helps with color)
·
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
·
1 large egg, room temp
·
1 large egg yolk, room temp
·
⅓ cup (80ml) ice-cold water
·
1 tbsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar.
·
1 tbsp olive oil (or any neutral oil)
You will need
o
Big mixing bowl
o
Pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips
o
Measuring cups and spoons
o
Plastic wrap
o
Rolling pin
o
4.5 to 6-inch round cutter, bowl, or plate
o
Small bowl of water
Instructions
Step 1.
Combine the flour, salt, and
sugar in your big bowl and give them a good whisk. No salty surprises later.
Step 2.
Drop in the cold, cubed butter.
Cut it in with your pastry cutter, forks, or cold hands. You want a sandy
texture with some pea-sized bits of butter left; do not overmix or your
flakiness is gone.
Step 3.
In a separate cup, lightly beat the egg and yolk with
ice-cold water, vinegar, and oil. Pour everything over the dry mix.
Step 4.
Mix with a fork until it looks
like a scraggly mess. Time to get your hands in there—just press and knead a
couple of times until it comes together. Too dry? Add a teaspoon of icy water.
Too sticky? A little flour. That’s it—don’t knead the heck out of it.
Step 5.
Split the dough into two discs and wrap each in plastic.
Chill at least an hour (up to two days). This rest makes it easy to roll and
gives the butter time to work its magic.
Step 6.
Grab one disc and roll it out on
a floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick. Not see-through but close. Cut rounds
with your cutter or a bowl (around 5 inches is perfect). Scraps? Press together
once more and cut again. Cover the discs with a damp towel so they don’t dry
out.
Macros (per disc, no filling):
v
Calories: ~145
v
Carbs: 15g
v
Fat: 8g
v
Protein: 3g
v
Sodium: 115mg
v
Fiber: 0.5g
Real numbers will wiggle depending on your ingredients and
size.
Ideas for Fillings & Sauces
This dough goes with just about
anything. Try classic beef, chicken and cheese, ham and cheese, spinach and
feta, or black beans and corn. Want sweet? Fill with dulce de leche, guava and
cream cheese, Nutella and banana, or spiced apple. For dipping, whip up
chimichurri, garlic aioli, salsa verde, avocado crema, or just your favorite
hot sauce.
Tips & Variations
o
Want ultra-flaky dough? Freeze your butter cubes
for 10 minutes before using. Do not skip the vinegar.
o
Make dough ahead! Freeze tightly wrapped discs
for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge.
o
Baked? Brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F
(200°C) for 20–25 minutes. Fried? Sizzle in 350°F (175°C) oil for 2–3 minutes
per side.
o
Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour with
xanthan gum. You’ll need a tablespoon or two more water.
o
Want color and flavor? Mix in a teaspoon of
smoked paprika, turmeric, or aji panca paste with flour.
Substitutions
o
Butter: Swap for lard for an even flakier,
authentic dough. Vegetable shortening works for dairy-free.
o
Vinegar: Use lemon juice, or if you skip it, add
a little more cold water.
o
Flour: Bread flour makes it chewier (I’m not a
fan), whole wheat for half gives a nuttier, denser bite.
o
Egg-free/vegan: Leave out eggs. Use ½ cup + 2
tbsp water and 2 extra tablespoons of oil. Not quite as rich, still solid.
FAQs
1. Why’s my dough cracking?
It’s either too cold or too dry.
Let it warm up 10 minutes before rolling. If the edges split, run a wet finger
along them, and don’t forget about proper resting.
2. Can I use a food
processor?
Definitely. Pulse flour, salt,
sugar, and butter 6–8 times until crumbly, add the wet stuff, and pulse a few
more times until it clumps. Finish by hand.
3. No cutter?
No problem. Roll the dough into
16 balls (about 35g each) and then roll out each one to a circle. It’s
old-school and works beautifully.
4. My dough is tough, not
flaky. Why?
Too much kneading. Just bring it
together until it holds. Also, make sure your butter is cold and in bits, not
blended in.
5. How long do filled, unbaked
empanadas stay?
Unbaked empanadas last a day in
the fridge (covered), or go straight from freezer to oven/fryer for up to 3
months—just add 5–6 minutes to the cook time.
Totally. Add 2 tablespoons of
sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry mix. The dough works for sweet
fillings just as well.
That’s the only dough recipe
you’ll ever need for perfect, no-fuss empanadas.
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