Sweet Potato Empanadas

By prairiemama

Melissa came up with this recipe as a new way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sweet potatoes, mashed or pureed
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar*
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• 1 tube refrigerated ready-made crescent rolls
• (uncooked dough)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• Cook's Note: Omit the brown sugar if the sweet potato leftovers are already sweetened.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
1. In a small bowl, mash the sweet potatoes with a
fork, and mix in the cream cheese, brown sugar if
using, lemon juice, and pinch of salt until creamy. 2. Remove the dough from the tube and separate into
4 rectangles.
3. Working with 1 rectangle at a time, roll over the
perforated lines in the dough to seal together.
4. Cut the rectangle in half and then cut the halves
into 2 triangles.
5. Place a heaping teaspoon of sweet potato filling in
the center of each of 4 triangles.
6. Fold the dough over on each, as if you were making
ravioli, and pinch the edges together.
*Use a tiny bit of water if the dough is too dry to seal.
7. Continue making little triangle empanadas with the
rest of the dough, 16 total.
8. Place the triangles on a parchment-lined baking
sheet and into the preheated oven.
9. Bake the empanadas until golden, about 10 to 12
minutes.
10.Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, mix together the
sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt.
11.While still warm, brush the empanadas with melted
butter, and then gently toss in the cinnamon-sugar
mixture.
12.Serve the empanadas with tangy plain yogurt for
dipping.