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The holidays always call for delicious desserts, amiright? Today I’m sharing my recipe for these tasty pineapple empanadas, complete with a cinnamon sugar crust!
Oh the weather outside is… SNOWY! Oh my goodness, waking up Monday morning was such a treat! I just love looking out the window and seeing a blanket of snow that settled in overnight. Of course it doesn’t make the drive to work any fun, but it’s so much prettier than windy days with brown dirt and grass everywhere. I absolutely love this time of the year!
Our Christmas tree is finally up – stay tuned for photos! We had a fun time cutting down Christmas trees with my parents at the tree farm up north, but unfortunately made the mistake of (once again) forgetting to measure our ceiling height. So an 8-foot tall tree turned into a gouge on our ceiling that the hubby was not too pleased about, but all is well now and the tree is fully decorated!
Related: Top 10 Foodie Christmas Gifts
If there’s one thing that is even better than getting to decorate for the holidays, it’s the food! Especially when it comes to dessert. I’m busy today making all sorts of Christmas cookies, and I’m super excited to share this dessert recipe with you today for pineapple empanadas! They are warm, they are fruit-filled, and they are crunchy! And they are topped with a delicious cinnamon sugar coating! What?! Yes!
Related: On Holiday Traditions: Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies
So first let’s talk about this filling. I mean it doesn’t get any simpler and sweeter than this: pineapple, orange juice, and honey plus a little bit of white rum. Oh yeah! Then we stir in these delicious spices: cardamom and cinnamon. Cinnamon is a beautifully traditional holiday spice, but I am loving the added cardamom this time of year too! After finishing the filling, we prepare the empanadas themselves using store-bought puff pastry. Bake in the oven and then coat with a simple cinnamon-sugar topping for an extra punch of flavor!
Related: 7 Perfect Holiday Hostess Gifts
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite holiday dessert recipe? Share with me by commenting below, or if you bake something be sure to tag me on Instagram with @thecharmingdetroiter!
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 cups frozen pineapple bits
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp. white rum
- 1 tbsp. honey
- ¼ tsp. cardamom
- 1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon, divided
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 3-4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 square puff pastry sheet
- 2 tbsp. white sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
- Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
- Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple bits, orange juice, white rum, honey, cardamom, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pineapple becomes soft and the mixture becomes syrupy, about 14-16 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Lightly dust a cutting board with flour. Flatten puff pastry sheet slightly with a rolling pin. Cut each sheet into four even squares. Pile a heaping spoonful of pineapple filling onto each square. Brush the edges with the lightly beaten egg wash. Fold one corner over to the opposite corner, so that you form a triangle. Pinch the edges together firmly, and then use a fork to make small pleats over these edges. Cut a small slit in the top of each pastry and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all remaining puff pastry squares are filled.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and white sugar and stir until combined.
- Brush tops of pastries with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake in oven for 20-24 minutes, until pastries are golden brown on top. Remove baking sheet from tray and serve warm, with ice cream and/or whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
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Sarah is a food blogger from Metro Detroit who believes that gourmet food should be accessible to all home cooks. 
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