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How I Went From Ugly Lumpy Empanadas to Bakery-Perfect Crimps Every Time
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items Spent years watching my empanadas split open in the oven, leak filling everywhere, and come out looking like sad deflated footballs. If you've ever stood in your kitchen with dough stuck to your fingers wondering why yours never look like abuela's — ...
Sections
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Empanada Presses and Crimping Tools
Empanada Dough and Wrappers
Meat Grinders for Fresh Filling
Seasoning Blends for Empanada Filling
Baking Sheets and Silicone Mats
Egg Wash Brushes and Finishing Tools
Empanada Presses and Crimping Tools
My hand-crimped edges used to look like a toddler pinched them shut. These presses changed everything — uniform edges, sealed tight, zero filling leakage.
Grab the three-size set so you can do cocktail minis and full dinner ones — my friends thought I ordered catering at my last party.
Zoie + Chloe Set of 3 Dough Press
Use this if you're just starting out and don't want to overthink it — dead simple, solid snap, and my filling stopped oozing out on the first try.
ACDANC 6" Empanada Press,Large Stainless Steel
Switched to stainless steel after my plastic one cracked mid-batch — this thing is built like a tank and the crimps come out razor sharp.
Norpro Dough & Dumpling Press
Keep this one around for the larger hand pies — fits a generous scoop of filling without that overstuffed look that always splits in the oven.
Shop Empanadas Frozen and Sweet Snacks
Toss these in the dishwasher and forget about them — no hand washing drama, and the hinge hasn't loosened after six months of weekly use.
Elegant Empanada Maker Press Set - 4 Sizes (3
Empanada Dough and Wrappers
Rolling dough from scratch on a Tuesday night was never happening for me. These pre-made options taste homemade without the two-hour commitment.
Grab a few packs and stash them in the freezer — they thaw in ten minutes and taste closer to homemade than anything else I've tried from a box.
Goya, Discos Para Empanadas, 10 ct
For anyone who grew up eating Argentine-style empanadas, these are the ones — thinner, flakier, and they crimp without cracking at the edges.
La Salteña
Use these specifically for baked empanadas — they hold their shape in the oven way better than the frying discos do.
Tapas de Empanadas Fargo Horno Mediana (886)
Tried making my own puff pastry exactly once, never again. These bake up golden and flaky and nobody at Thanksgiving knew the difference.
Goya Disc Pastry Dough for Baking
Snag these if your local store carries them — slightly thicker disc that holds up to really wet fillings like chicken stew without going soggy.
El Sembrador Dough for Pastries, 13 oz
Meat Grinders for Fresh Filling
Pre-ground beef from the store was always too wet and made my empanadas soupy inside. Grinding my own changed the texture completely.
Pair this with a cheap chuck roast and you get filling that actually holds together — no more watery meat puddles inside your empanada.
LEM Products #10 Clamp-On Manual Meat Grinder
Already had the stand mixer so this was a no-brainer — grinds a pound in under two minutes and cleanup is just three pieces.
Cuisinart Stand Mixers Meat Grinder Attachment
Perfect if you're in a small apartment with no counter space for a big machine — suctions right to the counter and cranks smooth.
Mueller Grinder
Ditch the plastic grinder attachments — this metal one doesn't flex or wobble and the coarse plate gives you that perfect chunky picadillo texture.
KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder Attachment, KSMMGA
Bring this out for big batch cooking days — ground through five pounds of pork for a party and my arm wasn't even tired.
Weston No. 22 Manual Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
Seasoning Blends for Empanada Filling
My fillings tasted flat for the longest time until I stopped eyeballing spices and started using actual blends made for Latin cooking.
Toss a tablespoon into your sofrito and suddenly your filling tastes like it came from that place on the corner everyone lines up at.
Badia, Complete Seasoning, 6 oz, All Purpose Spice Blend
Two packets per batch of filling — gives that golden color and savory depth that plain cumin and garlic powder just can't hit alone.
GOYA Sazon with Coriander and Annatto Seasoning Mix
Keep this next to your stove permanently — works on the filling, on the onions, on literally everything that goes inside the empanada.
Goya, Adobo All Purpose Seasoning with Saffron, 16.5 oz
Use the restaurant-size jar because you will burn through cumin making empanadas every week — way cheaper per ounce than the tiny bottles.
McCormick Culinary Kosher Ground Cumin, 14.0 oz Bottle
Switch from regular paprika to smoked and watch people's faces change — adds this subtle smokiness that makes beef filling taste like it was cooked over wood.
Badia, Smoked Paprika, Organic, 16 oz, Ground Spice
Baking Sheets and Silicone Mats
My empanadas used to weld themselves to the pan every single time. Parchment would burn, foil would tear — silicone mats finally solved it.
Threw away my parchment paper stash after buying two of these — empanadas slide right off and the bottoms get evenly golden instead of burnt spots.
Customer reviews for Silpat Silicone Mat for Baking Non
Warped baking sheets were making my empanadas cook unevenly — these stay flat even at 425 degrees and I've had mine for three years now.
Nordic Ware, Half Sheet, 18"x13" Aluminum, Rectangular Baking Pan
Snag a couple of these for big batches — lightweight enough to shuffle in and out of the oven without needing oven mitts on both hands.
Wilton, Recipe Right Cookie Sheet Set
For anyone doing their first batch ever, start here — affordable, nonstick actually works, and it fits standard empanada press sizes with room to spare.
Baker's Secret 2x Cookie Sheet 15"
Worth every penny if you bake empanadas weekly — the corrugated surface lets air circulate underneath so the bottoms crisp up instead of getting soggy.
USA Pan Bakeware Half Baking Sheet with Baking
Egg Wash Brushes and Finishing Tools
That glossy bakery shine on empanadas? It's all in the egg wash application. A bad brush leaves streaks and bald spots everywhere.
Ditch those cheap bristle brushes that shed into your food — silicone applies egg wash evenly and rinses clean in two seconds.
OXO Good Grips Silicone 1" Pastry Brush
Use this smaller size for detailed work around the crimped edges — no more accidentally gluing your empanada shut with excess egg wash.
Winco WFB-15, 1.5-Inch Flat Pastry Brush with Wooden
Old school but it works — the natural bristles hold more egg wash so you're not constantly re-dipping between each empanada.
Ateco 60030 Pastry Brush, 3-Inch Wide Head with Natural
Grab this if your current brush leaves streaky patches — the wide flat head covers the whole surface in one smooth pass.
Mrs. Anderson's Baking Silicone Basting Brush, Set Of 2
Two-pack means one for egg wash and one for melted butter post-bake — stopped mixing them up and my empanadas got shinier and richer.
Norpro, Silicone Basting Brush, 9" Blue, High Heat Resistant
Rolling Pins for Even Dough Thickness
Uneven dough was my biggest enemy — thick spots stayed raw inside while thin spots burned. A proper rolling pin fixed that overnight.
Those removable rings on the ends guarantee uniform thickness every time — no more guessing if your dough is too thin on one side.
Joseph Joseph PrecisionPin Baking Adjustable Rolling Pin
Switched from a handled pin to this tapered French style and suddenly I could feel the dough thickness through my palms — way more control.
JK Adams Maple French Tapered Rolling Pin for Baking
Nothing fancy, just solid maple that rolls smooth — been using this one since college and it still works better than the expensive ones I've tried.
Farberware, Wood Rolling Pin with Classic Handles
Keep this in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling — the cold marble stops butter-based dough from getting sticky and tearing.
Fox Run 48760 White Marble French Rolling Pin, 2 x 12
For anyone whose dough sticks to everything no matter how much flour you use — this nonstick surface finally ended that battle for me.
OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Steel Rolling Pin
Frying Equipment for Crispy Empanadas
Fried empanadas in a regular pot used to terrify me — oil splattering everywhere, uneven browning. Proper frying gear made it actually enjoyable.
Temperature stays consistent so every empanada comes out the same golden color — no more pale ones mixed with burnt ones in the same batch.
T-fal, Mini Deep Fryer, 1L, Stainless Steel with Basket
Use this if you prefer stovetop frying — the cast iron holds heat so well that the oil temp barely drops when you add cold empanadas.
Lodge Cast Iron 5 Quart Seasoned Double Dutch Oven
Clip this to the pot and watch your oil temp — learned the hard way that 375 is the sweet spot and guessing always ends in greasy empanadas.
ThermoPro Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Shallow frying in this with just an inch of oil works surprisingly well for smaller empanadas — less oil waste and easier cleanup than deep frying.
Cuisinart FusionPlus Stainless Steel 12" Skillet with Helper
Swap out your slotted spoon for this — scoops empanadas out of hot oil in one motion without them sliding off back into the grease.
Stainless Steel Spider Strainer Skimmer Ladle for Cooking
Food Processors for Quick Dough and Filling
Chopping onions, peppers, and olives by hand for fifty empanadas nearly made me quit. A food processor cut my prep time by more than half.
Pulse the filling ingredients five times and you're done — consistent dice without turning everything into baby food like my old blender did.
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 10-Cup Food Processor
Powerful enough to mix empanada dough directly in the bowl — cold butter cuts into flour in about ten seconds flat.
Ninja, Food Processor, 9-Cup, 3 Auto-iQ Presets
Big enough to handle a double batch of dough without overflowing — saved me from doing four separate rounds when I'm cooking for a crowd.
Cuisinart Food Processor
Compact footprint for smaller kitchens but still handles onions, garlic, and peppers without struggling — sits on my counter permanently now.
WARRANTY AND SERVICE
Budget-friendly pick that honestly surprised me — been using it for six months of weekly empanada prep and the blade is still sharp.
BLACK+DECKER Easy Assembly 8-Cup Food Processor
Storage Containers for Freezing Empanadas
Making fifty empanadas and only eating ten means the rest need to freeze without sticking together or getting freezer burn. Took me a while to figure this out.
Stack these in the freezer with wax paper between layers — pulled out month-old empanadas that tasted like I just made them.
Rubbermaid Brilliance Plastic Food Storage Container
Cheap enough to buy a dozen and dedicate them all to empanada storage — the lids actually seal tight so no freezer burn smell.
Glad Food Storage Containers, 24 Ounce, Small, 4pk
Lay one sheet between each layer of empanadas before freezing — they separate cleanly without tearing the dough when you pull them apart.
Reynolds Kitchens Stay Flat Parchment Paper Roll
Vacuum sealed empanadas lasted three months in my freezer with zero quality loss — worth it if you do big batch cooking sessions.
Seal-a-Meal Vacuum Food Sealer by FoodSaver
For quick grab-and-go storage — lay empanadas flat in a single layer, squeeze the air out, and stack the bags like files in the freezer.
Great Value Double Zipper Half Gallon Freezer Bag
Serving Platters and Dipping Sauces
Finally nailed the empanada itself but was serving them on a cutting board with ketchup. Presentation and proper sauces made the whole spread feel like an event.
Bring this out for parties — the size fits about twenty empanadas without stacking and it doesn't shatter when someone inevitably knocks it off the table.
Certified International Stars & Stripes Melamine Round
Pour this into a small bowl next to the platter — the tangy heat pairs with beef empanadas better than any fancy chimichurri I've ever made.
Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce, 34 fl oz
Blend these into sour cream for a smoky dipping sauce that takes thirty seconds — guests always ask for the recipe and it's embarrassingly simple.
La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, 7 oz
Use separate ramekins for each sauce so people can mix and match — looks way more put together than squeezing bottles directly onto plates.
Ceramic Dipping Bowls, Small Bowls for Dipping
Try warming this up slightly before serving alongside chicken empanadas — the green salsa cuts through the richness and adds brightness that red sauce can't match.
Salsa Verde Mild - Herdez