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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Blueberry Empanadas

    Blueberry Empanadas

    Last Updated June 26, 2019. Originally Posted June 18, 2019 By Maggie Unzueta

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    These Blueberry Empanadas are simply delicious. With a flaky crust and juicy blueberry filling, they are perfect for snacking or as a sweet summer treat.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    These Blueberry Empanadas are simply delicious. With a flakey crust and juicy blueberry filling, they are perfect for snacking or as a sweet summer treat.

    Blueberry Empanadas (or Blueberry Handpies) on a cooling rack surrounded by fresh blueberries.

    It’s berry season, and I wanted to surprise my hubby with Blueberry Empanadas. They represent a combination of both our cultures.

    Me: Mexican.
    He: A product of Upstate New York.

    He has found memories of picking berries and eat something called “rhubarb pie.”

    I saw it once, and it looked like celery! Why would anyone make celery pie? Oh why? Oh why? Ay ay ay!


    Ingredients to make blueberry empanadas spread out on a wooden surface.

    How to Make Blueberry Empanadas

    This is such an easy dessert to put together. These are all the ingredients you will need.

    Some people like to add a powdered sugar sauce on top. If that’s you, add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and water to the list of ingredients.

    You can make your own dough if you want to, but I like to take shortcuts when I can.


    Blueberries in a plastic container.

    You need fresh, ripe blueberries.

    When my son was little and obsessed with blueberries, I would buy them in bulk when they were in season. They were cheaper this way.

    • Rinse and let them dry fully.
    • Place a plastic freezer bag.

    They take only a few minutes to defrost. You can add them to Blueberry Smoothies or Mexican Oatmeal. They are so yummy and good for you too.


    Fresh blueberries mixed with sugar in a metal bowl.

    • Mix the blueberries and the sugar together.
    • Set aside until ready to use.

    By the way, you don’t need to refrigerate the blueberries while you roll out the dough.

    That is, unless you are going to wait to assemble the empanadas, then I would put the berry sugar mixture in the fridge.

    Please note: Authentic Mexican Desserts are typically not very sweet. So, I’m not adding a lot of sugar to the blueberries.


    Rolling pin rolling out dough.

    • Add some flour to a clean surface.
    • Roll out the dough.

    I also find that dusting off the rolling pin with flour helps in this process.

    If you are using a refrigerated pie dough, be sure to let it come to room temperature before rolling it out. Look on the package. They sometimes put instructions on how to do this correctly.

    It will break apart on you if it is too cold.


    Circles cut out of pie dough.

    Each circle is about 3 inches in diameter. I was able to get 7 circles from one refrigerated pie crust.

    Most refrigerated pie crusts come with two rolls of pie crusts, giving you 14 empanadas in total.

    Blueberry Empanadas freeze well. If you are not going to eat all 14 right away, you can:

    • Place them in a plastic freezer bag.
    • Remove as much air as possible. Put in the freezer.
    • Thaw completely and place 7 minutes in a 375 degree F oven.

    They will last up to 3 months in the freezer.


    Blueberry filling in the center of a circle of pie dough.

    • Add the filling to the center of the dough.
    • Don’t add too much, or the edges will not seal.

    This is only 1 tablespoon of filling. Remember that when they cook, the filling will condensed down like a jam.

    I like to leave the berries whole, but you can mash them slightly to get more of the filling in the center.

    FYI: I am calling these “empanadas,” but I’ve learned that they are also called “hand pies” or “turnovers.”

    In Spanish, these are called Empanadas de Arándanos.


    A sheet pan with pie dough and a bowl of blueberry filling next to it.

    The other thing that I suggest is assemble the Blueberry Empanadas on the cookie sheet that is going to go in the oven.

    That way, you don’t have to move the dough and berries over to the cookie sheet.

    Or, you can assemble the empanadas and seal them, then move them over to the cookie sheet.

    Whatever way you find easiest is fine.


    A fork sealing the edges of an empanada.

    • Fold over the dough.
    • Seal the edges with a fork.


    I love Authentic Mexican Food, but I will take shortcuts whenever I can find one.

    For me, that’s sealing with a fork. If you’re into folding the edges over by hand, go for it.

    I’m always impressed when I see the edges sealed by hand. They’re a lot of work!


    A knife making a slit on the top of a hand pie.

    • Make a few slits on top of the dough.
    • You can also make an X with the knife.

    This will help the Blueberry Empanadas breathe when they’re in the oven. Some of the filling will drip out. That’s inevitable.

    Have you ever been at the panadería and wondered what type of empanada filling was inside? Then you choose one, get home, and it’s not what you wanted. I hate that!

    By making a slit, there’s no wondering what is inside. 🙂



    These Blueberry Empanadas are simply delicious. With a flaky crust and juicy blueberry filling, they are perfect for snacking or as a sweet summer treat.

    Don’t Forget to Pin This For Later.
    Follow Me on Pinterest.

    Now the hard part…

    • Let the Blueberry Empanadas cool slightly before eating.

    I like to eat these with Café de la Olla, but ice cream or whipped cream would make good accompaniments.

    Warm empanadas are simply amazing. The smell of freshly baked pastries is intoxicating!

    It will make your entire family run to the kitchen, neighbors will be knocking, dogs will be begging. You’ve been forewarned. LOL.

    Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!

    Blueberry Empanadas (or Blueberry Handpies) on a cooling rack surrounded by fresh blueberries.

    Blueberry Empanadas

    These Blueberry Empanadas are simply delicious. With a flaky crust and juicy blueberry filling, they are perfect for snacking or as a sweet summer treat.
    4.67 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American/ Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 22 minutes
    Total Time: 32 minutes
    Servings: 14 pieces
    Calories: 171kcal
    Author: Maggie Unzueta

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    • 1 box refrigerated pie crust store bought
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries
    • 1 tspn lemon zest
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • salt pinch
    • 2 tbsp cornstarch
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tbsp water
    • sugar for sprinkling
    • flour for rolling out dough (if needed)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Unroll pie dough. Using a round cookie cutter, cut 3-4 inch circles out of one sheet of dough.
    • Gently roll up the remaining scraps of dough. Roll it out again to make more round cut outs.
    • Place cut outs on the baking sheet.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Mix to combine.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of the blueberry mixture to the center of each round cut out.
    • Fold dough over and press with your fingers to seal.
    • With a fork, press down on the edges to seal the dough even more.
    • Whisk an egg with water and brush the tops of the empanadas.
    • Sprinkle with sugar.
    • Using a knife, cut two or three small slices on the tops of each empanada.
    • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

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    Bake a big batch of Pineapple Empanadas, or Empanadas de Piña. Once you take a bite of that sweet and juicy fruit, you’ll want a dozen just for yourself. Did I mention this is also a completely vegan recipe? Oh yes!


    Empanadas de Queso on a decorative Mexican blue plate.

    Empanadas de Queso (Cheese Empanadas) – This has to be the easiest Mexican appetizer ever! Cheesy, spicy, and perfect for a party or just because. Only a few ingredients and minutes later, and you have a tasty treat ready to eat.

    Pumpkin Empanadas make yummy, Mexican treats for the holidays or delicious dessert. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

    Empanadas de Calabaza (or Pumpkin Empanadas) are not just for the Fall. In Mexico, we eat these are year long. With a sweet and delicious filling and a flaky, buttery crust, they are hard to resist.


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    Filed Under: Desserts, Mexican, Recipes

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Macy Brown From MakeTheBread

      June 18, 2019 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of best recipe till now Maggie …and it looks an amazing & sound so delicious… i will trying to making this from your recipe…Thanks for sharing..!

      Reply
    2. Jacquelyn Hastert

      June 19, 2019 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      Blueberries are the best summer treat ever! I love how simple, yet tasty these are. Perfect for an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or to end the evening with dessert.

      Reply
    3. Anonymous

      June 19, 2019 at 11:51 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect empanadas. They were gone as soon as I pulled them out of the oven.

      Reply
    4. Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen

      June 20, 2019 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      I love the idea of sweet empanadas! These are so cute, I think I’m going to make some over the weekend!

      Reply
    5. Anne Lawton

      June 20, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      These are just perfect for this time of the year! And they are so easy to make too.

      Reply
    6. Tatiana Shifruk

      June 21, 2019 at 9:05 am

      5 stars
      Blueberries and Lemon are a match made in heaven. I love these for breakfast! Delicious and easy!

      Reply
    7. kallee

      June 22, 2019 at 2:02 pm

      Oh my goodness these look amazing. And not too difficult to make either. We are going blueberry picking next week and I think I will make these.

      Reply
    8. Nicolas Hortense

      June 22, 2019 at 11:25 pm

      Love how the blueberry is just bursting out of these!! Your step by step photos are brilliant by the way!

      Reply
    9. jagruti

      June 23, 2019 at 12:11 pm

      Blueberries and lemon goes hand in hand and these empanadas looks so delicious, perfect for a summer picnic!

      Reply
    10. Des

      June 23, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      Empanadas are a favorite of my families! We love them and I can’t wait to introduce these to them.

      Reply
    11. Jacqueline Debono

      June 24, 2019 at 1:41 am

      These blueberry empanadas are fabulous. I want to make them TODAY!! I don’t have blueberries but I have fresh cherries. I live in a cherry growing area in Northern Italy and it’s cherry picking time! Next time I’ll do blueberries!

      Reply
    12. Alisha Rodrigues

      June 24, 2019 at 7:41 am

      Anything blue berries is delicious. I like simple recipes like these. Would love to carry some to a picnic

      Reply

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