Mini Cherry Empanadas

By Hklbrries

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 ready-made piecrusts
• Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups cherries, pitted and halved (1/2 pound)
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more to sprinkle on dough
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/3 cup water, plus 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Whisk egg with milk until frothy to make an egg wash; set aside.

To prepare the filling, mix cherries, sugar and cinnamon with 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Stir into the hot cherry mixture. Cook until it thickens. Stir in almond extract. Let it cool.

Unroll/unfold the piecrusts and cut out 4-inch-diameter rounds. Roll out the scraps and cut out additional circles. Brush the outside edges of the circles with the egg wash.

Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each round. Fold the dough in half over the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut small slits in the top. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar.

Place the empanadas on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Tip: You can add 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or chocolate chips to the cooled cherry filling.