Description
Easy caramel apple empanadas made with store-bought pie crust, fresh Granny Smith apples, warm spices, and melted caramel bits. These hand-held treats are perfect for fall entertaining and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Empanadas:
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Dash of allspice
- ½ cup caramel bits (or 15 unwrapped soft caramels)
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 refrigerated pie crust (like Pillsbury)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Sanding sugar, for topping
Instructions
Heat oven to 425°F. Line your baking sheet with parchment. Don’t skip this – trust me.
Toss apple wedges with lemon juice in a bowl. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in another bowl. Dump spices over apples and stir until coated.
Flour your counter lightly. Unroll pie crust and roll it a bit thinner. Cut 8 circles with your cutter. Put them on the baking sheet.
Put one apple wedge slightly off-center on each circle. Off-center matters for sealing later.
Microwave caramel bits with milk. 30 seconds at a time, stir after each round. Stop when smooth.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon caramel over each apple. Brush crust edges with beaten egg. Fold over and press edges with fork. Press hard.
Brush tops with more egg. Sprinkle sanding sugar everywhere. Bake 12-14 minutes until golden. Let cool a few minutes.
Got leftover caramel? Heat it up and drizzle over empanadas before serving.
Notes
Fork Pressure Matters: I press like I’m trying to leave permanent marks – loose seals mean caramel explosions
Space Them Out: Two inches apart minimum or they’ll bake unevenly and stick together
The Tap Test: They sound hollow when done, just like my grandmother taught me for bread
Parchment is Key: Skipped it once and spent an hour scraping caramel off my pan
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American