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Honey Habanero Puff Pastry Beef Empanadas

This recipe for puff pastry empanadas was originally a sponsored post. Some links are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

Summer is coming, and we have all sorts of adventures planned. My daughter and I want to explore her love of music more, which means concerts!

Enjoy a plate of puff pastry empanadas

As she’s also my constantly hungry child (she literally hand blocked the platter of puff pastry empanadas in the hopes of preventing anyone else from eating any), I always bring food along to keep her happy. Literally. The girl gets cranky when she’s hungry.

Of course, at this rate, these puff pastry empanadas may not make it out the door before they get devoured. The ground beef filling gets amazing flavor not just from the habanero hot sauce but honey and lime, too.

My husband told me to write down the proportions of this recipe after his second bite so that I could recreate it. Little did he know I already planned to turn this into a blog post and had notes!

The flavors match better than I’d hoped with a slightly sweet taste and habanero that gives it a little heat that doesn’t stay with you. It’s a good thing I made 36 empanadas!

Mini beef empanadas from scratch with honey habanero

Looking for more unique Mexican recipes? Check the end of this article for some of my favorites.

Mini beef empanadas make a perfect on the go snack

This time, we’re focusing on these puff pastry empanadas. Using puff pastry dough means I can make them faster than using traditional empanada dough.

The filling flavor still shines, and the flaky pastry makes eating them fun. They’re the perfect hand pie to take on the go! I also transformed this recipe to make honey habanero tacos, which are now our go to taco night filling.

7 Tips for Making Your Puff Pastry Empanadas

Empanadas ready to eat

Make sure your filling isn’t dry.

When you bite into that flaky crust, you want a juicy mouthful. After cooking your filling, add some broth and reduce it most of the way. This concentrates additional flavor and gives you needed moisture.

Don’t overfill the empanadas.

It’s so tempting to want to fit it all in there, but you need less than you think. Too much filling either bursts through the dough or prevents you from sealing it.Add a bare teaspoon just off center of your empanada round

Keep your puff pastry dough cool.

When puff pastry dough gets warm, it tends to stretch and actually sticks together less. This makes both forming and sealing the puff pastry empanadas more difficult.

I work with about a quarter of the puff pastry dough at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge – especially in warmer weather.

Use some of your egg wash to help seal your empanadas.

I always have extra egg wash left over when I make anything that needs it. Rather than trashing it, use it earlier in the recipe.

Dip your finger in it and run just enough to barely moisten the edge of one half of the empanada. That helps the puff pastry dough cling to the other edge. Gently press along the edges to start the seal.Gently press down on the edges of your empanadas to start a seal

Use a fork to crimp the edges of the empanadas.

Press firmly without pushing through the dough and gently draw it away from the empanada. It looks pretty and keeps the filling from leaking out.Crimp the edges of empanadas with a fork to seal

Use the right side of your puff pastry sheets.

Puff pastry sheets have one side with more flour than the other. Make sure the more heavily floured side is the outside of your empanada.

Even with the egg wash around the rim, the side without the flour seals better than the side with more flour.How to make better empanadas

Use egg wash.

The egg wash provides that golden flaky crust on the outside that you see in bakeries with their pastries. Add a teaspoon of water to your egg before you whisk it with a fork to create an egg wash that’s easier to work with than straight egg.

How to make Honey Habanero Ground Beef Filling for Puff Pastry Empanadas

Start with the ground beef filling

Start by browning your beef in a skillet over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat periodically.

While the meat cooks, cut your onion. Add it to the beef once you chop it and let it cook with the ground beef.

Mince your garlic, and add it to the pan after the beef browns. Add the cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, honey, and hot sauce, then stir.

Add the broth and cook until the broth reduces almost entirely and is just barely visible. Remove from the heat, and add the lime juice. Stir to incorporate, and let cool slightly while you prep the puff pastry.

Add El Yucateco black label sauce to honey habanero beef empanadas

Assemble the empanadas

Make your egg wash before you assemble anything. Mix together your egg and water with a fork until frothy and well combined, then set aside.

Open thawed puff pastry dough and gently let it unfold slowly to prevent cracks. If the dough does crack, gently press the edges together. They’ll seal enough when baking.

Use a large biscuit cutter or wide glass to cut circles from the puff pastry dough. The two packages will make 36 rounds. Work with nine at a time, and return the remaining circles to the fridge.

Use a biscuit cutter to make empanadas

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Add a bare teaspoon of filling to the circle, just off center. Dip your finger into your egg wash and run along the rim of the circle.

Pull the longer edge over, and gently press together. Use a fork to crimp the edges, then repeat until all circles are filled.

Fold dough over the empanada filling

Place empanadas on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper. Use two baking sheets, with half on each sheet.

Dip a pastry brush into your egg wash and lightly coat the exposed surface of each empanada.

Brush tops of empanadas with egg wash

Place one baking sheet in the fridge and bake the other for 13-15 minutes until the puff pastry empanadas are golden brown and flaky, then bake the second sheet.

Alternatively, bake both at the same time on different racks and switch positions halfway through baking.

Puff pastry empanadas fresh from the oven

Serve immediately with salsa or guacamole. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.

Be sure the puff pastry empanadas have fully cooled before closing the container to avoid them getting soggy.

Try a honey habanero beef empanada topped with guacamole

Have you ever tried puff pastry empanadas? 

More favorite Mexican inspired recipes:

Honey Habanero Puff Pastry Beef Empanadas

This simple empanada recipe uses puff pastry to create a quick appetizer filled with amazing flavor and not too much heat. Honey, habanero, and lime complement each other perfectly in these puff pastry empanadas. Serve with guacamole or salsa for a perfect dish to serve at parties or take with you on the go.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Low Fat
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 36 empanadas
Calories: 55kcal
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons El Yucateco® Black Label Reserve hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 packages puff pastry sheets thawed
  • 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Instructions

  • Brown beef in a skillet over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat. While the meat cooks, cut your onion. Add to beef and cook together.
    1 pound ground beef, 1 large onion
  • Mince garlic, and add to pan after the beef browns. Drain beef.
    3 cloves garlic
  • Add cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, honey, and El Yucateco® Black Label Reserve hot sauce, then stir. Add broth and cook until reduced. Remove from heat, and add lime juice. Stir to incorporate.
    2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 cup beef broth, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons El Yucateco® Black Label Reserve hot sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • Use large biscuit cutter or wide glass to cut circles from puff pastry dough.
    2 packages puff pastry sheets
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together egg and 1 teaspoon water to make egg wash.
    1 egg
  • Add a bare teaspoon of filling to the circle, just off center. Dip finger into egg wash and run along the rim of the circle. Pull the longer edge over, and gently press together. Use a fork to crimp the edges, then repeat until all circles are filled.
  • Place empanadas on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper. Use two baking sheets, with half on each sheet. Use a pastry brush to add egg wash to empanadas.
  • Place one baking sheet in the fridge and bake the other for 13-15 minutes until the puff pastry empanadas are golden brown and flaky, then bake the second sheet.
  • Serve immediately with salsa or guacamole. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. Be sure the puff pastry empanadas have fully cooled before closing the container to avoid them getting soggy.

Notes

  • You can bake both puff pastry empanadas at the same time on different racks and switch positions halfway through baking.
  • For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1empanada | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 102mg | Sugar: 2g

This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.

This recipe for easy puff pasty empanadas has a delicious honey habanero ground beef filling that is a perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Enjoy these appetizers at your next pot luck. They're the perfect party food - and they're great for dinner, too. It's a fun and unique twist on a Mexican classic.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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  1. […] you remember when I made the honey habanero empanadas? I cannot tell you how many compliments I get on them, and I love to make them for […]

  2. Jasmin Potdar says:

    nice puffs

  3. What a lovely idea for a to go meal empanadas never fail to be a crowd pleaser. Thanks for your participation on this shop ~ client

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