All products featured on Domestic Gourmet are independently selected. I may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on this site.

When I found a truck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere Florida selling juicy ripe Georgia peaches, I stopped to purchase some. I knew what I would make with them, too; I was going to make these. The filling is simple, highlighting the sweetness of a perfectly ripe Georgia peach.

Peeling the peaches is easy, and you can wrap them in homemade puff pastry or store-bought, simplifying the process even more. Puff pastry is in the frozen food section of most grocery stores, or you can substitute it with empanada wrappers. Puff pastry results in a more buttery, flaky peach pocket over the standard empanada wrapper, lacking the butter and flakiness.

iBuen provecho!

Peach Empanadas

A hand pie full of delicious sweet peaches.

• SERVINGS: 8
• PREP TIME: 5 mins
• COOK TIME: 30 mins
• ASSEMBLY TIME: 20 mins
• TOTAL TIME: 55 mins

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

For The Filling:

1. Peel and cube peaches.
2. In a small saucepan, add peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and stir until evenly distributed.
3. Simmer on medium heat until the juice releases from the peaches.
4. Mix the cornstarch into the water in a separate small bowl to create a slurry.
5. Add the slurry to the saucepan.
6. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes until the peaches are tender and the liquid is a thick syrup.
7. Test the syrup by checking to see if it coats the mixing spoon. Once the syrup coats the spoon, the filling is ready.
8. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
9. At this point, you can refrigerate overnight or continue to assemble the empanadas.

Assembling The Empanadas:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and set aside.
3. On a well-floured counter, with a small 4″ bowl, cut out 6-8 circles. If the dough gets soft and unmanageable, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it hardens again.
4. Flour your rolling pin and roll out your 4″ circle of puff pastry until it is about 6″ and ⅛” thick.
5. Place 2 tbs of peach filling in the center of the circle and, using a pastry brush, brush the outer edge with egg wash.
6. Fold the dough circle over the filling, creating a half-moon shape, and press edges closed using the tines of a form to seal them shut.
7. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the finished empanadas on the lined pan.
8. Brush the empanadas with egg wash using the pastry brush and sprinkle liberally and evenly with turbinado cane sugar.
9. Using a knife, score the tops of your empanadas with 3 lines, creating vents for steam to escape.
10. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-23 minutes until golden in color. If you don’t have a convection oven, rotate the tray of empanadas 180 degrees halfway through the baking time to bake evenly.
11. Remove tray from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before placing empanadas on a wire rack to cool until room temperature before serving.

Notes How to include your child(ren): Chefs of all ages can help with preparing your mise en place. Your little chef(s) can use a butter knife to cut the mozzarella, while your older chef(s) can test their hand at stretching the dough. Fine-tune those fine motor skills by spreading the chimichurri and adding dollops of the fig preserves. Introduce elementary math and time perception by setting timers. Little chef(s) will familiarize themselves with numbers while also learning how long 5 minutes feels like… which to a 3-year-old will feel like forever. With adult supervision, older chef(s) can learn how to launch, turn and pull pizzas from the oven, or at least determine when they’re ready to be turned and pulled by their doneness.

More About Ciji

Ciji Castro, the talented Latina entrepreneur, celebrates her heritage through mouthwatering Cuban and Puerto Rican recipes. With a trailblazing spirit, she’s a standout figure in the culinary world. Recognized as the foodie mastermind behind Domestic Gourmet, she was named “Woman To Watch 2023” by Tampa Magazine. Her success shines through prestigious partnerships with Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Michelin Guide, NBC, and Disney on Ice. Collaborating with Michelin-starred chefs and restaurants, Domestic Gourmet has garnered praise from patrons and industry professionals. Her captivating personality and passion for food inspire aspiring chefs and home cooks worldwide.