Sweet Potato Empanadas, or empanadas de camote in Spanish, are delightful! Flaky pastries filled with a creamy sweet potato filling spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s a perfect, easy treat.
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Why You’ll Love These Sweet Potato Empanadas
Sweet Potato Empanadas offer a unique blend of sweetness and comfort, making them ideal treats for anyone who enjoys dessert with a twist.
These delicious empanadas stand out with their rich, spiced sweet potato filling encased in a flaky, golden pastry. They’re tasty and quick to prepare, perfect for when you want something homemade but don’t have hours to spare.
These delicious empanadas are a delightful fusion of flavors and textures. The sweet potatoes provide a rich, creamy filling perfectly complemented by the warm spices and flaky pastry crust. Whether you’re craving a comforting snack or a unique twist on a classic, these empanadas are very satisfying.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe utilizes sweet potatoes’ natural sweetness and creaminess, enhanced with brown sugar and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Refrigerated pie crusts simplify the process, ensuring you spend less time on preparation and more on enjoying the delightful result.
The balance of sweetness, spice, and a crisp crust create a harmonious, comforting, and indulgent flavor profile.
Equipment
- Food Processor (Optional for mashing the sweet potatoes)
- Large bowl and Small bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Large Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Refer to the printable recipe card at the end of the post for detailed ingredients and measurements.
- Pie Crust – You can use either store-bought pie crusts, empanada discs, or make your own empanada pie crust, like I did in the Pumpkin Empanadas recipe.
- Sweet Potatoes – Either mashed fresh sweet potatoes, canned sweet potatoes, or sweet potato puree, can be used in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar—This is used to sweeten the sweet potatoes. You could use brown sugar, granulated sugar, coconut sugar, monk fruit, or your sweetener of choice.
- Heavy Cream – This helps make the sweet potato filling a little smoother.
- Vanilla Extract – The vanilla flavor complements the sweet potato. If you don’t have vanilla, you could leave it out.
- Seasonings – For a delicious fall flavor spice mix, combine salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Egg – You’ll need one egg for the egg wash on the outside of the empanadas.
- Cinnamon and Sugar – You’ll need a combination of cinnamon sugar on the outside of the empanada dough.
How To Make Sweet Potato Empanadas
Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well until combined.
Roll Out the Dough: Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Use a large (4-inch) or (5-inch) cookie cutter to make a four or 5-inch circle of pie dough with each.
Fill the Empanadas: Place a spoonful of filling on one half of each dough circle.
Seal The Empanadas: Moisten the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork or fingers to create a decorative seal.
Bake: Place the empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top of each empanada with beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve: Let the empanadas cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Sweet Potatoes – You can use canned sweet potatoes or cook your own. They can be microwaved on high for 15 minutes or baked at 400° for 45 minutes.
- Parchment Paper—If you bake the sweet potatoes, I recommend using parchment paper for easier clean-up.
- Cutting Empanada Dough – If you don’t have a large round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, you can flip a bowl over and cut circles or make a 4-inch circle from paper and cut around it with a knife.
- Chill – Refrigerate the empanada dough for the flakiest crust.
- Don’t Overfill – Do not overfill the empanadas. I use a large tablespoon of sweet potato filling. Overfilling will result in the crust not sealing.
- Sealing Empanadas – To seal well, use a finger dipped in water and run around the edge, then press the edges together well before twisting the edges. You may also use a fork to press the edges together.
- For Best Results – For the best empanadas, serve them the day you make them.
What To Serve with Sweet Potato Empanadas
These empanadas are delicious when served with cajeta or caramel sauce. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
FAQs
While you can refrigerate and eat later, they may be soggy and not have the same flaky crust.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Check out these other recipes if you love sweet potatoes like we do.
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Twice Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Chips
- Sweet Potato Toast
More Empanada Recipes
Below are more empanada recipes, and you can also check out our Empanadas Recipe Collection.
- Cajeta Empanadas
- Apple Pie Empanadas
- Potato and Chorizo Empanadas
- Empanadas De Pollo
- Vegetarian Empanadas
If you made this sweet potato empanada recipe and loved it, please share your experience by leaving a comment and a rating.
Recipe
Sweet Potato Empanadas Recipe
Ingredients
Empanadas
- 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes (canned is fine) (or about 1 large sweet potato)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 (14.1 ounce) packaged pie crusts (refrigerated)
Egg Wash & Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400° and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a bowl, mash the sweet potatoes well, then stir in the brown sugar until combined.
- Add the heavy cream and spices and stir well.
- Unroll the pie crust and use a large (4-inch) cookie cutter. Cut as many circles from each pie crust as possible.
- Spoon 1 large tablespoon of filling on one side of the dough. Dip your finger in water and go around the edge of the dough.
- Fold the dough over and press firmly to seal.
- You can make small folds around the pastry to create a pretty border, or use a fork to firmly seal.
- Place the pies on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the beaten egg over the pies. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the egg.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove and serve.
Video
Notes
-
- Sweet Potatoes – You can use canned sweet potatoes or cook your own. They can be microwaved on high for 15 minutes or baked at 400° for 45 minutes.
-
- Parchment Paper—If you bake the sweet potatoes, I recommend using parchment paper for easier clean-up.
-
- Cutting Empanada Dough – If you don’t have a large round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, you can flip a bowl over and cut circles or make a 4-inch circle from paper and cut around it with a knife.
-
- Chill – Refrigerate the empanada dough for the flakiest crust.
-
- Don’t Overfill – Do not overfill the empanadas. I use a large tablespoon of sweet potato filling. Overfilling will result in the crust not sealing.
-
- Sealing Empanadas – To seal well, use a finger dipped in water and run around the edge, then press the edges together well before twisting the edges. You may also use a fork to press the edges together.
- For Best Results – For the best empanadas, serve them the day you make them.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
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