Uruguayan chocolate empanadas — cocoa pastry parcels filled with dulce de leche, baked and brushed with cinnamon butter. A sweet twist on the classic.
Chocolate empanadas are a Uruguayan sweet treat — tender cocoa pastry parcels filled with gooey dulce de leche, baked golden and dusted in cinnamon sugar. Warm, melting and a little messy in the best way, they're hand-held happiness.
Prep 30 min
Cook 25 min
Total 90 min
Medium
- 400g Condensed Milk
- 250g All Purpose Flour
- 25g Unsweetened Cocoa
- Pinch Salt
- 1 Egg
- 3 tablespoons Milk
- 30g Butter
- 30g Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Video
Preparation
- For the filling, place the can of condensed milk in a large pot, cover completely with water, and boil for two and a half hours, topping up the water occasionally, then let it cool before opening (this makes the dulce de leche).
- For the dough, combine the flour, cocoa and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter in small pieces until crumbly, then add the egg and work into a dough, adding milk a tablespoon at a time if too dry. Wrap and chill for at least half an hour or overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12cm circles. Put two to three teaspoons of dulce de leche in the middle of each, brush the edges with milk, fold into half-moons, and press the edges with a fork (or fold them inwards every centimetre for a pattern).
- Place on the baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake for about 20–25 minutes.
- Towards the end of baking, melt the remaining butter and mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. As soon as the empanadas come out, brush with the butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Enjoy warm or cold, taking care with the hot filling.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Making your own dulce de leche by boiling condensed milk is easy — just keep it well covered with water throughout.
- Chill the cocoa dough so it's firm and easy to roll and shape.
- Seal the edges firmly with a fork so the filling doesn't leak out.
- Brush with butter and cinnamon sugar the moment they leave the oven so it sticks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — it's a great shortcut; just don't overfill or it'll bubble out as they bake.
Either too much filling or the edges weren't sealed tightly — crimp firmly with a fork and keep the portions modest.
Lovely warm with the melting filling, but take care as the dulce de leche gets very hot; they're good cold too.
