Banana Empanadas is an irresistible dessert filled with slices of banana covered in a delicious mixture of sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Enjoy these classic empanadas with a cup of coffee together with your friends and family.
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If you’re looking for a sweet, comforting treat that combines the flavors of ripe bananas and buttery pastry, baked banana empanadas are a must-try. These empanadas are golden, flaky, and filled with a rich banana cinnamon filling that will have everyone coming back for more.
My dad (Papi) loves anything and everything bananas, so we surprise him with banana desserts for special occasions. For his birthday we ordered a banana cheesecake, he loved it! For Valentine’s Day we baked up these banana empanadas. He was impressed!
But before you dive into the recipe, here are some tips for making the perfect dough and empanadas.
Making the Banana Empanada Dough:
The dough is the backbone of any empanada, and getting it just right is key to achieving that flaky texture. Here are some tips for perfect empanada dough:
Let the food processor do the work: I made this dough with the food processor. Pulse until the ingredients combine, adding more milk if dough does not come together.
Don’t Overwork the Dough: Once you add the warm milk to the dough, mix it until it just comes together. Overworking the dough will develop too much gluten, making it tough instead of flaky. After kneading, let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This gives the dough time to relax and makes it easier to roll out.
Roll Out Evenly: When rolling out the dough, aim for an even thickness. Too thick, and your empanadas will be doughy; too thin, and they may tear. A uniform thickness ensures a golden, crispy crust all around.
BANANA EMPANADA FILLING
The filling for these empanadas is simple, yet flavorful. For the best results, follow these tips:
The key to a delicious banana filling is using ripe bananas. They’re naturally sweeter and have a better texture for baking. For this recipe I used sliced bananas.
I sweeten the slice bananas with light brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. The combination of light brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice to the bananas. You can adjust the sugar depending on how sweet your bananas are, but don’t skip the cinnamon—it enhances the banana flavor beautifully.
When spooning the banana filling onto the dough, be careful not to overfill. Too much filling can make it difficult to seal the empanadas, leading to leaks during baking. A heaping tablespoon per empanada should be plenty.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE BANANA EMPANADAS
Seal Well: Once you fold the dough over the filling, use a fork to press the edges together securely. This not only seals the empanada but also adds a decorative touch.
Egg Wash for Shine: For that golden, glossy finish, brush each empanada with an egg wash made from beaten egg and milk before baking. It will give them that irresistible, bakery-style look.
Bake Until Golden: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-20 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown. Let them cool completely before dusting them with powdered sugar for that final touch.
With these tips, your banana empanadas will be perfectly flaky on the outside and deliciously sweet on the inside. Happy baking!
MAS EMPANADA RECIPES:
- Filling:
- 4 cups sliced bananas
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a large bowl combine sliced bananas, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir to coat banana slices evenly; set aside until ready to use.
- Empanada Dough:
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup warm milk
- powdered sugar
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For empanada dough:
To a food, processor add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse to combine.
Add shortening, pulse to combine.
Slowly add milk, process until dough comes together.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth.
Cover; let rest 30 minutes in the fridge before using.
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Assemble Empanadas:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface.
Using glass cut out round disc shapes for empanadas.
Spoon banana filling in center of each empanada disc.
Fold, seal with a fork then place on a baking sheet.
Brush with egg wash.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely, dust with powdered sugar.
Makes 14-16 empanadas
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