Recipe

Empanada Dough

Tender, easy-to-roll dough for baking or frying, with practical tips so your empanadas seal tight and come out crisp and golden.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

Round empanada dough discs stacked on a lightly floured wooden board beside a small bowl of flour on a warm kitchen counter

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Empanadas are one of my favorite kitchen projects because they feel a little festive, even if your filling is just leftover chicken and whatever cheese you have hanging out in the fridge. The real secret is the dough. You want it easy to roll, easy to seal, and sturdy enough to hold a juicy filling without turning soggy or splitting at the seams.

This empanada dough is my go-to: it mixes fast, rests while you make the filling, and works for baking or frying. If you have flour, butter, and an egg, you are basically already there.

A neat ingredient setup on a kitchen counter with a bowl of flour, sticks of butter, an egg, salt, and a measuring cup of water

Why It Works

Tender but strong: Butter gives you flake and flavor, while a little egg helps the dough hold up to hearty fillings.
Rolls without drama: A short rest relaxes the gluten, so you are not fighting springy dough.
Seals well: The dough has enough structure to crimp cleanly and stay shut in the oven or fryer.
Flexible: Bake for a flaky, golden shell or fry for that crisp, bubbly exterior.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store Empanada Dough

Refrigerator: Wrap the dough tightly (plastic wrap or an airtight container) and refrigerate up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temp for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling so it does not crack.
Freeze as a dough ball: Wrap well, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Freeze as discs: Roll and cut discs, stack with parchment between them, then freeze in a sealed bag up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter until pliable.

Tip: If the surface dries out in the fridge, knead in 1 to 2 teaspoons ice-cold water until smooth again.

Common Questions

Can I bake and fry this same dough?

Yes. For baking, you will get a tender, flaky bite with a smooth finish. For frying, it puffs a bit and turns crisp with tiny bubbles. If you know you are frying, adding 1 teaspoon vinegar (or an extra teaspoon if you already use it) can help keep the dough tender by slightly limiting gluten development.

Why is my dough cracking when I roll it?

Cracking usually means the dough is too cold or too dry. Let it warm up a bit, then knead in a splash of water (start with 1 teaspoon). Also keep your work surface lightly floured, not heavily floured, since extra flour dries the dough out.

Why is my dough shrinking back?

It needs more rest. Cover it and let it relax for 10 to 15 minutes, then roll again. Gluten is stubborn like that.

Can I make empanada dough without a food processor?

Absolutely. Use a bowl and a pastry cutter, or rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until you have pea-sized pieces, then mix in the wet ingredients.

How thick should I roll empanada dough?

For most fillings, aim for about 1/8 inch. Thicker is sturdier but bready. Thinner is crispier but more likely to tear if your filling is very wet.

How do I keep empanadas from leaking?

Cool your filling before assembling.
Do not overfill. Think: generous, not chaotic.
Brush the edge with a little water or egg wash, press firmly, then crimp.
Chill assembled empanadas for 15 minutes before baking or frying if your kitchen is warm.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Pastry cutter or fork (or a food processor)
Rolling pin
Plastic wrap or a lidded container
Round cutter (4 to 5 inches) or a small plate to trace
Optional: Kitchen scale for consistent discs

The first time I made empanadas from scratch, I treated the dough like it was a pie crust final exam. It fought me, cracked, and I overfloured everything until the counter looked like it had survived a blizzard. Now I keep it simple: cold butter, a quick mix, and a real rest. The vibe is less perfection, more momentum. Roll, fill, crimp, repeat. By the time the tray hits the oven, you are already planning what to stuff in the next batch.

Empanada Dough

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 12 empanada discs (5-inch)

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 large egg
2/3 cup (160 ml) ice-cold water, plus up to 2 tablespoons more as needed (you may use up to about 3/4 cup total)
1 teaspoon white vinegar (optional, can help tenderness, especially for frying)

Cold butter cubes scattered over flour in a large mixing bowl on a kitchen counter

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter cubes and cut them into the flour with a pastry cutter (or use your fingertips) until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized bits. Those butter bits are future flake, so do not overwork it.
Add the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the ice-cold water and vinegar (if using). Pour into the flour mixture. Cold water keeps the butter pieces intact so you actually get that flaky texture later.
Bring the dough together. Stir with a fork or spatula until shaggy, then use your hands to gently press and fold in the bowl just until it holds together and looks mostly smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. If it feels dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. If it feels sticky, dust with a little flour.
Rest. Form into a ball, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). This makes rolling and shaping way easier.
Roll and cut. Let the dough sit at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes if very cold. Lightly flour your counter. Roll to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 5-inch rounds for about 12 discs (use 4-inch rounds if you want smaller empanadas and a higher yield). Gather scraps, press together, and re-roll once for the best texture. Avoid repeated re-rolling so the dough stays tender.
Fill and seal (quick guide). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons filling to the center, leaving a clean border. Brush the edge lightly with water, fold, press firmly, and crimp with a fork or your fingers.

To Bake or Fry

Tip: To keep things easy and flaky, work with half the dough at a time and keep the other half chilled until you are ready to roll.

Bake

Heat oven to 400 F.
Place empanadas on a parchment-lined sheet.
Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) for shine.
Bake 18 to 25 minutes until deep golden and firm at the seams, depending on size, thickness, and filling temperature.

Fry

Heat neutral oil to 350 F in a heavy pot.
Fry 2 to 4 at a time, 2 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp (they should look set at the edges and not pale at the seam).
Drain on a rack or paper towels, then hit with a pinch of salt while hot.

Unbaked empanadas arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet on a kitchen counter

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Empanada Dough

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Shortcrust Pastry

All-Butter Pastry Dough

Flaky Pot Pie Crust

Homemade Mexican Flour Tortillas

Storage Tips

How to Store Empanada Dough

Common Questions

Common Questions

Can I bake and fry this same dough?

Why is my dough cracking when I roll it?

Why is my dough shrinking back?

Can I make empanada dough without a food processor?

How thick should I roll empanada dough?

How do I keep empanadas from leaking?

Empanada Dough

Ingredients

Instructions

To Bake or Fry

Bake

Fry