Orange-Almond Fig Empanadas

Remember Fig Newtons? Ohhh yeahhh… me too. A soft cookie stuffed with sticky sweet figs. They are the best. My dad has a serious sweet tooth. As a kid, he’d have stashes of cookies and to this day he has a collection of goodies in his car at all times. When I was a kid, he would often have Fig Newtons. This was my one and only fig experience as a young’n , but it was a darn good one

So when I decided to make fig empanadas because, well, figs are incredible aaannnnnd they’re in season (For ease of use, I opted for dried figs, but you could easily use fresh.  See the recipe notes at the bottom.), I was happy to find that they reminded me of the beloved Fig Newtons. But here’s the thing, they are even better in a few ways. Break it down:

1. They are homemade, constructed with love and without preservatives.
2. They are easier to take on the go with you and keep your hands cleaner because they are covered completely in a kickin’ flaky crust.
3. They have more flavor complexity due to the orange, lime, and almond additions.
4. I ain’t gonna lie, they’re just prettier.

I’m really loving these little pockets of love. The crust is flaky-tender while the middle is soft and sticky, all of which is topped off with crunchy almonds. And how about that flavor? Citrus, fig, almond, and a buttery touch from the crust all work together perfectly. I’m sad I didn’t make more. And on that note…

Homemade, flaky, delicious empanadas take some work. So when you decide to delve into this recipe, do yourself a favor and make a big batch. This particular recipe makes 24, but I don’t think you’d regret making a double batch one bit. What are you going to do with all those empanadas? Sharing is caring! I’m sure you can think of someone who deserves a bit of happiness or a thank you. I know for a fact I would be thrilled to receive a basket of these cute little treats. You can also store them in the freezer. They keep beautifully!

See you next time y’all!

Orange-Almond Fig Empanadas Recipe

Author: Danielle

Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 24 empanadas

These flaky little Orange-Almond Fig Empanadas remind me of my childhood favorite, Fig Newtons, but are better in so many ways.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ¼ cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 6 ounces dried figs, stems removed and small diced
• about 3 cups of boiling water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• ½ teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• ⅓ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and break up with a fork or dough blender until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, ice water, and vinegar. Add the wet mixture, a little at a time to the dry mixture, adding just enough until the dough comes together. Knead a few times with your hands, form into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15.
3. Meanwhile, make the fig filling for the empanadas. Place the diced figs in a medium bowl and cover with just enough boiling water to cover. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, drain, and place in a medium bowl. Add the sugar, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly with butter.
5. Once the dough is chilled, roll out on a floured surface until it is about ⅓-inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut circles from the dough. You can collect the trimmings and re-roll another time to get more empanadas, if you desire.
6. Using a pastry brush, coat the edges of the circles with egg wash. This will help the edges stick together. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling onto one end of each of the dough disks and fold over to seal with your hands.
7. Place the empanadas on the prepared cookie sheets. You can crimp the edges with a fork to make them prettier, but this is totally optional. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Return to the oven and bake until the almonds and empanadas are lightly browned, about 7 minutes more.
8. Allow the empanadas to cool slightly, then devour with a cup of milk or coffee. You can also let them cool thoroughly, place in an airtight container and toss them in the freezer for future cravings.

Notes:

I used dried figs for this recipe, but you could definitely use fresh! Just sub the 6 ounces of dried figs with 8 ounces fresh, skip the soaking, and add 2 tablespoons of sugar instead of 1 teaspoon.