Recipe for bacon jalapeño cream cheese empanadas, aka jalapeño popper empanadas or hand pies. These mouthwatering empanadas can be baked or fried. Served with a creamy avocado cilantro salsa.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American, Latin, Latin fusion
Keyword Bacon, Cheese, Empanadas, Jalapeño
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Chill time 1 hourhour
Servings 15empanadas
Ingredients
For the bacon jalapeño cream cheese empanada filling:
1lb450 grams of bacon, cut into medium sized pieces
4jalapeñosdeveined and diced for a less spicy version or sliced with the seeds for the spicier version
Cook the bacon until golden and crispy, drain the grease and let the crispy bacon pieces cool down completely.
To assemble the empanadas place a spoonful of the cream cheese in the center of the empanada disc. Add a generous amount of a bacon and diced or sliced jalapeños based on the amount you prefer (I can my brother going nuts here).
To close and seal the empanadas, fold the discs and gently seal the edges with your fingers. Twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers. For extra sealing you can use a fork to press down on the edges.
For best results, chill the empanadas for at least an hour, this will help them seal better.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.
Brush the empanadas with the egg wash right before baking to give them a nice golden glow.
Bake the empanadas for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm with avocado sauce.
Notes
If you choose to fry the empanadas, you can use a deep fryer, or a frying pan or small pot. If using a frying pan or pot, make sure to add enough oil to cover at least half of each empanada. Let the oil get hot and fry each one until golden on each side, about a minute per side. If you hear them start to pop or open, remove them immediately. Place the empanadas on paper towels to drain any excess grease and serve immediately.