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A white plate fill of sweet potato empanadas, with a striped kitchen towel on the side
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Sweet Potato Empanadas (Empanadas de Camote)

This baked Empanadas de Camote or Sweet Potato are made with a spiced brown sugar sweet potato filling stuffed inside homemade sweet empanada dough.
Course Dessert, Sweet treats
Cuisine Latin American, Mexican, South American, Spanish
Keyword Batata, Boniato, Camotes, Empanadas, Sweet empanadas, Sweet potato
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 20 medium empanadas

Ingredients

For the sweet empanada dough:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 227 grams (2 sticks)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1-3 Tablespoons of cold water

For the sweet potato filling:

  • 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1-2 large sweet potatoes) - 680 grams
  • ¾ cup apple juice 175 ml
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams (½ stick)
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed 110 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

For the egg wash:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

To make the sweet potato filling:

  • In a large pot over medium heat, add the sweet potatoes and juice.
    In a large pot over medium heat, add the sweet potatoes and juice.
  • Cover with a lid and allow the sweet potatoes to steam for 15-20 minutes or until they’re fork tender.
    Cooking sweet potatoes with apple juice in a white pot
  • While the sweet potatoes steam, make the empanada dough.

To make the sweet empanada dough:

  • In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
    In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
  • Add the butter and pulse until small crumbles form. The mixture will look like parmesan cheese at first, but keep pulsing until the crumbles are more like small pebbles.
    Add the butter and pulse until small crumbles form. The mixture will look like parmesan cheese at first, but keep pulsing until the crumbles are more like small pebbles.
  • The mixture will look like parmesan cheese at first, but keep pulsing until the crumbles are more like small pebbles.
  • Add the eggs and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball and starts to clean to the sides of the bowl.
    Add the eggs and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball and starts to clean to the sides of the bowl.
  • Gently stream in the cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft and pliable.
    Sweet empanada dough in a food processor
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough is soft and smooth, forming a ball.
  • Divide the dough into 2 disks, making each one about 1 inch thick. Wrap each of the disks individually in plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the dough to firm up and be easier to roll out.
    Two large discs of dough on a wood board
  • Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick.
  • Use a small appetizer plate or 4-inch (10cm) round cookie cutter to cut out disks for your empanadas before setting aside.

Finish the sweet potato filling:

  • When the sweet potatoes are soft, add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  • Mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth.
    Spiced sweet potato filling for empanadas in a large pot

Assemble the empanadas:

  • Fill each empanada with about 1 Tablespoon of the filling (I used a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop), fold it in half, flattening the filling slightly, and gently press the seam together to seal the edges. You don’t want to overfill these, or the seal will break, and the filling will spill out during the baking process.
    Empanada discs with sweet potato filling on a wood board
  • Press the tines of a fork into the sealed edges of the dough to reinforce the seal for extra protection against leaking.
  • Place the empanadas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat an egg with 1 teaspoon of water for the egg wash.
  • Brush the empanadas with the egg wash right before baking.

To bake the empanadas:

  • When you’re ready to bake, position the rack to the middle of your oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
  • Bake for 16-19 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  • The empanadas can be served warm or at room temperature.
    A bunch of sweet empanadas on a white plate next to a cup of coffee

Notes

  • Use store bought empanada discs or pie dough/pastry dough: If you are short on time, you can use store bough empanada discs, or store bought dough (pie dough or pastry dough) to make the empanada wrappers.
  • Use panela, raspadura, or piloncillo: If you have access to any of these types of unprocessed brown sugar, you can use them instead of the brown sugar in the sweet potato filling preparation:
  • Add a hint of citrus: Sometimes I like to add a hint of orange or lemon to the filling, just add 1 tbs of citrus zest to give a slightly different flavor twist.
  • Add a brown sugar topping: You can also sprinkled some brown sugar or demerara sugar on top of the empanadas, after brushing them with the egg wash. Or you can brush them with melted butter after they are done baking, and the sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
  • Add a simple sugar glaze or dulce de leche drizzle on top: Another cute decorative option is to drizzle a sugar glaze or melted dulce de leche on top. If you want to try this, let them cool down fully after baking before adding the drizzle.