The Best Gluten Free Empanadas Dough
This recipe for gluten free empanadas makes light, flaky, flavorful pastries. Fill it, then bake or fry it to perfection with your favorite fillings!
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 20 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dry white wine ((like Pinot Grigio), chilled (See Recipe Notes))
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 3 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend ((See Recipe Notes; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends))
- 1+1/2 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1+1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (roughly chopped or shredded and chilled)
- 7 tbsp nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
- Your favorite filling (see Recipe Notes for suggestions)
- Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, whisked)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout, place the wine, vinegar, and eggs, and whisk to combine very well. Set the mixture aside.
- 2
In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the chopped butter, and mix to combine.
- 3
Working quickly and using the thumb and forefinger of each clean hand, flatten the chunks of butter into flat disks. Add the shortening, and mix to combine, pressing the shortening down into the dry ingredients with the underside of your mixing spoon. Loosen any bits stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
- 4
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet mixture. Mix until just combined, ensuring that all the dry ingredients are moistened. With clean hands, squeeze the dough together into a disk. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Much longer, and the dough may be difficult to roll out.
- 5
Unwrap the chilled dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. I like to divide it in half and work with one half at a time. Press the dough into a flatter disk with the palm and heel of your hand, and sprinkle very lightly with more flour.
- 6
Roll out the dough into a rectangle that’s about 1-inch thick, moving the dough frequently and sprinkling lightly with flour to prevent sticking. Fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter, and roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.
- 7
Cut out 3-inch rounds from the dough, and remove the surrounding dough to reroll later. Sprinkle each round with a bit of flour, and roll again a bit thinner into a nearly 4-inch diameter round. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- 8
Sprinkle each round of dough with a bit more flour, and stack the rounds on top of one another. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to use them.
- 9
They’re best filled and fully shaped the same day, although after filling and shaping you can freeze them for finishing another time.