Pumpkin Empanadas (Empanadas de Calabaza)

These easy Pumpkin Empanadas are made with canned pumpkin, cinnamon, and flaky pie crust. A delicious Mexican bakery favorite made simple.

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These homemade Pumpkin Empanadas remind me of visits to Mexican bakeries when I was growing up. There weren’t many Mexican bakeries near us, so we’d drive to East Los Angeles to find a good one. It was always worth the trip. The shelves were lined with colorful Mexican conchas, flaky pastries, and rows of sweet empanadas. Choosing just one was nearly impossible. Some days I’d grab a concha, but if I spotted pumpkin empanadas, the decision was easy.

See my entire list of Mexican Sweet Breads.

Quick Recipe Notes

Shortcut: Refrigerated pie crust makes these quick and easy.
Make ahead: Prepare the pumpkin filling up to 3 days in advance.
Keep everything cold: Cold dough creates the flakiest crust.
Cool the filling completely before assembling to prevent soggy empanadas.
Freeze beautifully before or after baking.
Optional finish: Roll warm empanadas in cinnamon sugar for an authentic panadería-style treat.

-Maggie

A white plate filled with pumpkin empanadas sits on a red and white patterned cloth. Cinnamon sticks are placed beside the plate, and an orange pumpkin and flowers are in the background, giving a cozy, autumnal feel to the scene.

Today, I make Pumpkin Empanadas, or Empanadas de Calabaza, at home with refrigerated pie crust. They’re much easier than the traditional version, but they still have all the flavors I remember.

They have a buttery, flaky crust filled with creamy pumpkin that’s lightly spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

They’re especially popular during fall and the holidays, but honestly, they’re delicious any time of year.

The best part? Using refrigerated pie crust makes them incredibly easy to prepare without sacrificing that classic bakery flavor.

🎃 Ingredients

Butter
Brown sugar
Pumpkin puree
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
All-purpose flour
Refrigerated pie crust
Egg
Splash of water

Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.

I’m using refrigerated pie crust to make this recipe quick and easy. If you’d rather make homemade dough, check out my Apple Empanadas recipe.

A four-panel image shows the process of making a dessert. The first panel has a mixture of brown sugar and butter in a pot. The second panel shows the mixture combined. The third panel adds pumpkin puree and spices. The fourth panel shows the final blended mixture.

👩🏼‍🍳 How to Make the Filling

In a large pan, melt the butter and add the brown sugar.
Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
Then add the pumpkin, cinnamon, and cloves.
Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Let cool completely.

This can be done up to three days ahead of time. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge. Take out when you’re ready to bake.

If you love pumpkin desserts, be sure to try my pumpkin tamales, pumpkin tres leches, and pumpkin arroz con leche.

Two images display rolled-out dough on a white surface. The left image shows dough with circular shapes cut out. The right image shows neatly arranged cut-out dough circles.

For the Dough

Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In the meantime, sprinkle flour on a dry, flat surface.
Roll out the pie crust.
Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or a clean drinking glass to cut circles from the dough.

You want them to be the same size so they will bake evenly. I used a 3-inch circular cookie cutter to achieve this.

Close-up of a two-step process for making pumpkin hand pies. The left side shows round dough cutouts with dollops of pumpkin filling in the center. The right side shows the dough folded over and sealed into semi-circles, ready for baking.

Add a teaspoon to the middle of each circle.
Fold one end of the circle over to close.
With a fork, press the edges to close.

The easiest way to seal an empanada is with a fork. If you want to get fancy and fold with your hand, go for it!

A four-panel image showing the stages of baking hand pies. The top left panel shows unbaked hand pies arranged on a baking sheet. The top right shows them coated with an egg wash. The bottom left shows them partially baked, and the bottom right shows the golden-brown finished hand pies cooling on a wire rack.

In a greased pan, place each of the uncooked empanadas.
Mix the egg and water to create egg wash.
Brush the uncooked empanadas with the egg wash.
Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

The egg wash will give the empanadas that beautiful golden color.

Make sure to spread them apart (about 1 inch) on the baking sheet.

Optional Coating

Once they are baked and still warm, dust them with sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Turn them gently to coat completely.

Variations

Add Pecans

Mix chopped pecans into the pumpkin filling for extra crunch.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Replace the cinnamon and cloves with pumpkin pie spice.

Homemade Dough

Use homemade empanada dough if you have extra time for an even more authentic bakery-style pastry.

Three golden-brown pumpkin empanadas are neatly arranged on a white plate. In the background, more empanadas are cooling on a wire rack, and an orange cloth with white stripes is partially visible to the left.

🫙 Storing Instructions

Store cooled pumpkin empanadas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 300°F oven or air fryer for a few minutes to crisp the crust again.

🧊 Freezing Instructions

Freeze baked or unbaked empanadas for up to 2 months.
Wrap each one individually, then place them in a freezer-safe bag.
Bake frozen empanadas by adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

🌟 Tips for Success

Chill the dough if it becomes soft while working.
Always use cooled filling before assembling.
Don’t overfill the empanadas.
Seal the edges well to prevent leaking.
Bake until lightly golden for the flakiest crust.

A stack of six golden-brown pumpkin empanadas sits on a white, scalloped plate. The background features autumn-themed decorations, including two small pumpkins and a bouquet of orange, red, and yellow flowers. The plate is placed on an orange and white patterned cloth.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make pumpkin empanadas ahead of time?

Absolutely. The filling can be made several days ahead, and the assembled empanadas can be refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.

Can I freeze pumpkin empanadas?

Yes. Freeze either before or after baking for up to 2 months.

How do you keep hand pies from getting soggy?

Keep the pie dough as cold as possible. Also, make sure the filling is completely cooled before adding to the dough.

Do pumpkin empanadas need to be refrigerated?

Since this recipe contains pumpkin and butter, they are best kept at room temperature for only 1–2 days before moving to the fridge

🍴 More Empanada Recipes

Every bite of these Pumpkin Empanadas reminds me of those bakery trips to East Los Angeles. They’re buttery, flaky, filled with warm pumpkin spice, and much easier to make than you might think. Whether you’re baking them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Día de los Muertos, or simply because you’re craving something sweet, I hope they become one of your family’s favorite treats.

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