Ham and Cheese Empanadas: A Flaky Hand-Held Delight

Key Takeaways:

• Master the perfect empanada dough with just 5 simple ingredients
• Learn the secret to sealing empanadas that never burst while baking
• Create restaurant-quality empanadas in under an hour

Looking for a twist on the classic sandwich? These ham and cheese empanadas turn basic ingredients into something special. Golden, flaky pastry wrapped around melty cheese and savory ham – they’re perfect for any meal or party snack.

What You’ll Need

Dough Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cubed
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup ice water

Filling Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped cooked ham
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup mild cheddar
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Pastry brush
• 2 baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• 4-inch round cookie cutter or bowl

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Dough

1. Start with very cold ingredients. Measure 3 cups flour into a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon salt. Use a whisk or fork to mix them together thoroughly.
2. Take your cold butter straight from the fridge and cut it into small cubes (about ½-inch pieces). Add these to the flour mixture.
3. Using clean hands, pick up handfuls of the flour-butter mixture and rub it between your fingers, breaking the butter into smaller pieces. Keep doing this until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
4. In a separate small bowl, crack one egg and beat it lightly with a fork. Add ⅓ cup of ice-cold water to the beaten egg and mix well.
5. Make a well in the center of your flour mixture (like a volcano crater). Pour the egg-water mixture into this well.
6. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix everything together. The dough will look messy and shaggy – this is perfect! Stop mixing as soon as there’s no dry flour left in the bowl.
7. Lightly flour your counter or work surface. Turn the dough out onto it and use your hands to gently press it all together into a rough disk shape, about 1-inch thick.
8. Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).

Preparing the Filling

1. While the dough chills, dice your ham into small cubes (about ¼-inch pieces). You want them small enough to fit easily into the empanadas.
2. Finely chop the green onions – you want them very small so they distribute evenly through the filling.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the diced ham, both shredded cheeses, mayonnaise, and chopped green onions. Mix everything together until well combined.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to fill your empanadas.

Assembly

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 minutes to slightly soften.
3. Cut the dough disk in half (keep the half you’re not using in the fridge). Roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness, rotating it quarter turns as you roll to maintain an even circle.
4. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter or small bowl, cut as many circles as you can. Gather scraps, re-roll once, and cut more circles. You should get about 12 circles from each half of dough.
5. Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and beat it with 1 tablespoon of water to make your egg wash. Set aside.
6. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Don’t be tempted to add more – overfilling will cause the empanadas to burst.
7. Brush egg wash around the edges of each circle using a pastry brush or your finger.
8. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges gently to seal.
9. Using the tines of a fork, press down along the curved edge to create a decorative seal. This helps prevent the filling from leaking.

Baking

1. Arrange the sealed empanadas on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.
2. Brush the tops of each empanada with the remaining egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden color when baked.
3. Using a sharp knife or fork, poke 2-3 small holes in the top of each empanada to let steam escape during baking.
4. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. If baking both sheets at once, rotate their positions halfway through baking.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown and you can see the cheese bubbling through the steam holes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

• Keep ingredients cold for the flakiest crust
• Don’t overfill – it leads to bursting
• Let cool 5 minutes before serving
• Freeze unbaked empanadas for up to 3 months

Shopping List

Dairy Section

• Butter
• Mozzarella
• Cheddar
• Mayo
• Eggs

Meat Department

• Ham (or use leftover holiday ham)

Produce

• Green onions

Pantry

• All-purpose flour
• Salt

These wonderful empanadas make 24 servings – perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing for later. They’re the ultimate finger food that combines the comfort of a ham and cheese sandwich with crispy, buttery pastry.

Whether you serve them fresh from the oven as a hot treat or pack them for quick breakfasts, these empanadas never disappoint. The nice tangy flavor from the cheese and mayo perfectly balances the salty ham.

This particular recipe creates a fool-proof dough that bakes up golden and flaky every time. Skip the premade empanada discs – once you try this soo buttery homemade version, you’ll never go back to store-bought.