Chocolate Pastry Empanadas

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~
Homemade chocolate empanada dough filled with creamy butter centers. Ah. They are slightly sweet, rich in flavor, firm on the outside but creamy on the inside. Think of them as a little hand-held pastry pie.
Empanadas and I donāt have a life long relationship. I didnāt even know that they existed until my husband introduced me to them while we strolled along Venous Beach. It was a small, savory pocket of goodness that left me wanting for more. That was many years ago, and I donāt quite remember the flavor profile, so I decided just to let my creative juices flow.
That was the inspiration for this recipe. I loved the idea of creating a sweet, chocolate empanada stuffed with a creamy nut butterā¦. why? Like I really needed a reason but basically because they are a twist on the normā¦ something you donāt see every day.
The chocolate dough is straightforward to work with. It is thick but very easy to mold so it can be used in many applications. I started by rolling it into a ball shape with the palms of my hands. From there I flattened it out and much to my surprise, I found it was easy to almost āstretchā it to a flat pancake shape.
The beauty of this pastry is that you could use about anything to stuff into the center; peanut butter, jams, coconut, the list goes on.
Always be open-minded when you start working on a recipe. Donāt get locked into expectations. Let your creative side take over, and you will be delightfully surprised by the outcome. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Be sure to leave a comment below and have a blessed day. amie sue
Ingredients:
yields 16 empanadas
- 2 1/2 cups raw fine almond flour
- 1/2 cup ground flax
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 1/3 cup cold-pressed olive oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup+ thick, chilled nut butter
Preparation:
- In the food processor, fitted with the āSā blade, mix the almond flour, ground flax, cacao powder, and salt just until combined.
- Donāt over-process. Otherwise, too much of the natural oils within the almonds will be releasedā¦ leaving you with a greasy treat.
- I use fine almond flour to see the smooth, dough-like texture but you can use ground almonds too. It will just have more visible pieces of nuts in the dough.
- As the food processor is running add in the olive oil, water, sweetener, vanilla, and almond extract. Process until well blended.
- Chocolate dough:
- Scoop out 2 Tbsp worth of dough for each empanada.
- Create a ball in the palm of your hand and place it on a non-stick sheet.
- Repeat this process until all the dough is used up.
- Nut butter:
- Use a very thick nut butter that has been chilled thoroughly. This will help with the handling of it.
- Scoop out 2 tsp of nut butter for each empanada.
- Repeat this process until you have created 16 centers.
- Flatten each ball of chocolate dough into a thin circle. Do your best to keep it a round shape, so the edges match up when folded over.
- Place 2 tsp of nut butter in the center of the chocolate circle and fold it over, lining the edges.
- Take a fork and press the edges down. This was to help seal them and make for a beautiful presentation.
- Dip the fork in water every once in a while, so it doesnāt stick to the dough.
- Place your empanadas on the mesh dehydrator screen and dehydrate for 1 hour at 145 degrees (F), then reduce to 115 degrees (F) and dehydrate for at least 5 hours or until desired dryness is achieved.
- They should be dry to the touch but soft on the inside.
- I sprinkled coconut crystals on top for decoration.
- Storage: with any of the 3 make sure that they are well sealed.
- Countertop for 3-5 days
- Fridge for 1-2 weeks.
- Freezer for 1-4 months.
Culinary Explanations:
- Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)? Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
- When working with fresh ingredients, it is essential to taste test as you build a recipe. Learn why (here).
- Donāt own a dehydrator? Learn how to use your oven (here). I do, however honestly believe that it is a worthwhile investment. Click (here) to learn what I use.

Ā© AmieSue.com
Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan
Where do the pecans come in? I see them listed in the ingredients, but I donāt see them in the instructions.
Kim,
You are a busy lady sorting through recipes! hehe Letās disregard the presence of pecans. :0
These look absolutely fabulous and Iām thinking of all sorts of fillings ā ganache, ganache mixed with almond butter, vanilla icing, raspberry jamā¦ canāt wait to make them.
Yes, Iām on a cookie making spree. Taking some to a party on Friday and going to freeze some for Christmas. Do you think the vanilla frosting for your vanilla macaroons will freeze well? I wasnāt sure about that one. I think the almond joyous bars will freeze marvelously and these empanadas should, too. What do you think?
Raw frostings donāt seem to freeze to well. I would wait and frost them prior to event. Anything wrapped in a chocolate empanada would be good!
These were fun to make. I used three fillings ā vanilla icing mixed with cranberries, chocolate ganache mixed with vanilla icing, chocolate ganache mixed with almond butter. I think the cranberry was my favorite. Although I like them, I decided not to take them to a party because I thought they tasted a little flax-y. It didnāt bother me, but I thought some people might find it an odd flavor in a cookie. I think I might try to decrease the flax next time.
Hello, itās me again! Do you think that date paste would be a good filling?
FYI: In the last 2 days, Iāve made 2 kinds of your crackers, 2 breads, date paste, and those chocolate chip cookies (with which- I confess- I may or may not have an addiction problem.) Iām having a couple friends over for dinner Saturday, and I have a few more of your recipes to make, but I am totally unafraid of hosting a RAW dinner now. Thanks again for your time and efforts!
Good evening Cheyenne,
WOW I am sooooo proud and impressed. :) You have been busy! I love it. hehe. You know, date paste would be good for a filling, good thinking! Please let me know how your gathering goes. I will be thinking about you. :) Many blessings, amie sue
Yum! I am thinking orange marmalade! Love chocolate and orange.
Oh yes indeed! That would be yummy. :)
The illustrations show a dusting of something on the empanadas but I didnāt see that in the ingredient listing. What do you use or suggest and should it be added before or after the dehydration process?
Goodday Teach,
I just sprinkled some coconut crystals on top for decoration when I presented them. This is totally optional. :) Blessings, amie sue