DessertsMedium

Cajeta Empanadas

Name: Cajeta Empanadas
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 80 ml Cold water; 50 g Sugar; 50 g Sugar for sprinkling; 300 g Cajeta; 400 g Plain flour; 1 Egg; 150 g Cold butter; 0.5 tsp Salt

60 min (40 prep + 20 cook) Medium 12 servings Guanajuato

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Crispy golden pastry turnovers filled with cajeta from Celaya.

About this recipe

Empanadas de cajeta are a delightful Mexican pastry: flaky, buttery dough encasing a generous filling of cajeta (goat's milk caramel) from Celaya, Guanajuato. Baked until golden and sprinkled with sugar while still warm, they are the perfect teatime treat or after-dinner sweet.

History & Origin

Empanadas de cajeta combine two colonial inheritances: the empanada of Spanish origin and cajeta, a goat's milk caramel from Celaya, Guanajuato, whose name comes from the small wooden boxes (cajitas) in which it was originally packed. Cajeta has been made since the eighteenth century in Celaya, where the abundance of dairy goats enabled the development of this speciality that today holds a Denomination of Origin. Empanadas filled with cajeta became popular as an afternoon snack throughout the Mexican Bajío region and are now found in bakeries and street stalls across the country. They can be baked for a lighter version or fried for a crunchier texture, and are sprinkled with sugar while still hot to create an irresistible sweet crust.

Estimated cost

£9.80

Total cost

£0.82

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

299

Calories

Protein

51g

Carbohydrates

13g

Fat

Fibre

106mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2
In a bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and salt. Add the cold butter, cut into small cubes, and rub in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until you have a coarse breadcrumb texture with small pieces of butter still visible.
💡 The butter must be very cold to achieve a flaky pastry. If it softens too much, refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes.
3
Add the beaten egg and cold water. Mix with a fork until the dough comes together. Do not over-work; just enough to form a ball.
4
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 3 mm. Cut out 12 cm circles using a cutter or a small plate as a guide.
6
Place a generous tablespoon of cajeta in the centre of each circle. Fold in half to form a half-moon shape and seal the edges by pressing with a fork.
💡 Do not overfill with cajeta or it will leak out during baking. Seal the edges well.
7
Place the empanadas on the prepared tray. Brush the surface with a little beaten egg mixed with a tablespoon of water so they brown nicely.
8
Bake at 190°C for 18-20 minutes until golden. As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkle with sugar while still hot. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.