Guava and Cheese Empanadas (Printable version)

Flaky golden pastries with sweet guava and creamy cheese filling, air-fried to perfection

# What you need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 package (14 oz) refrigerated pie dough or empanada dough
02 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

→ Filling

03 - 4 oz guava paste, cut into 10 equal strips
04 - 4 oz cream cheese, cut into 10 equal pieces

# Steps to follow:

01 - Set air fryer to 350°F and allow to preheat completely.
02 - Roll out the dough and cut into 10 circles, approximately 4 inches in diameter.
03 - Place one strip of guava paste and one piece of cream cheese in the center of each dough circle.
04 - Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal completely.
05 - Brush the top surface of each empanada with beaten egg to achieve a golden finish.
06 - Place empanadas in the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
07 - Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until empanadas are golden brown and crispy throughout.
08 - Remove from air fryer and allow to cool for several minutes before serving.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • They come together in under 35 minutes with mostly store-bought ingredients, which means you can impress someone tonight without stress.
  • The air fryer does all the work without heating up your kitchen or needing a pot of oil, making them feel less indulgent than they taste.
  • That perfect combination of sweet guava and creamy cheese is genuinely addictive in a way that surprises most people the first time they bite into one.
02 -
  • The filling heats much faster than the dough bakes, so resist the urge to cook them longer than 12 minutes even if you think they need more color—they'll continue browning slightly as they cool.
  • Cutting the guava paste and cream cheese into separate pieces before you start filling changes everything; it means consistent bites and prevents one empanada from ending up with twice the filling while another gets hardly any.
03 -
  • Don't skip the egg wash—it's the difference between empanadas that look homemade and ones that look bakery-quality, and it takes five extra seconds.
  • Keep your dough cold and work quickly; if it starts getting warm and sticky, pop it back in the fridge for five minutes before continuing, and you'll have much better results.
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