Empanadas de Camote (Sweet Potato Empanadas)
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Updated Sep 29, 2026
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My grandma often bought sweet potatoes to make something sweet rather than savory, and her empanadas de camote were always a special treat. My version of her sweet potato empanadas is filled with piloncillo and warm spices and wrapped in a flaky homemade dough that I make with butter and a splash of dark beer.
These Empanadas de Camote (Sweet Potato Empanadas) are especially lovely for fall and winter gatherings. They’re freezer-friendly, easy to make ahead, and the recipe is so special to me that I included it in my cookbook, Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Table of Contents
- Why This Is Muy Bueno
- What Are Empanadas de Camote?
- Reader Review
- What Is the Difference Between Empanadas de Camote and Empanadas de Calabaza?
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Empanadas de Camote
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Mexican Fall Desserts
- Empanadas de Camote | Sweet Potato Empanadas Recipe
Why This Is Muy Bueno
The filling is inspired by the sweet potato empanadas my grandma made, with piloncillo, canela, and cloves for a deep, warmly spiced sweetness. My twist is the pastry. The combination of butter and dark beer gives the baked empanadas a flaky texture and subtle malty flavor.
What Are Empanadas de Camote?
Camote means sweet potato in Spanish. Empanadas de camote are sweet turnovers filled with a spiced sweet potato filling and wrapped in pastry dough.
My version combines sweet potato with piloncillo, canela, and cloves, then wraps the filling in my homemade butter-and-dark-beer pastry. The empanadas are baked until golden and can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I made these. They were delicious. I didn’t have any beer so I used sparkling water… Thanks for the recipe.” — Miranda
What Is the Difference Between Empanadas de Camote and Empanadas de Calabaza?
The main difference is the filling. Empanadas de camote are made with sweet potato, while empanadas de calabaza are filled with pumpkin.
Both can be warmly spiced and wrapped in a flaky pastry, but sweet potato makes a thicker, slightly denser filling, while pumpkin tends to be softer and smoother. If you love one, chances are you’ll enjoy the other.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The filling is simple, with sweet potatoes, piloncillo, and warm spices. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Water – For simmering the piloncillo and spices.
- Piloncillo – Gives the filling its deep, molasses-like sweetness. If you can’t find it, substitute 1 cup packed dark brown sugar.
- Canela & Whole Cloves – I use a cinnamon stick and whole cloves to infuse the filling as it cooks. In a pinch, substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Sweet Potatoes – I prefer orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for their color, sweetness, and creamy texture.
For the Homemade Empanada Dough
I make mine with butter and dark beer for a flaky crust with a subtle malty flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – The base of the pastry dough.
- Granulated Sugar – Adds just enough sweetness to the dough.
- Ground Cinnamon – Adds another layer of warm spice.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Butter – Gives the pastry its rich flavor and flaky texture.
- Egg – Helps bind the dough.
- Dark Beer – My secret weapon in this dough. It contributes to the flaky texture and adds a subtle malty flavor.
How to Make Empanadas de Camote
Here’s how to make the sweet potato filling, homemade empanada dough, and assemble and bake the empanadas.
Step 1: Make the spiced piloncillo syrup. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the water, piloncillo, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the piloncillo. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Cook the sweet potatoes. Pierce each sweet potato two or three times with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave until soft and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. If needed, continue cooking in 1-minute increments. Let cool until easy to handle, then peel and discard the skins.
Step 3: Make the sweet potato filling. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash with a potato masher, adding the piloncillo syrup a little at a time until the filling has a whipped consistency. You may not need all the syrup. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
Step 4: Make the empanada dough. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat the butter on medium-low speed until creamy. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Slowly add the beer until a soft, smooth dough forms. You may not need all the beer.
Step 5: Prepare the oven and pan. Position racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 6: Roll and fill. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Divide into 14 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Keep the dough balls covered with a kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
Working in small batches, flatten each ball slightly and roll into a thin round about 4 inches in diameter.
Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on one half of each dough round. Brush the edge lightly with egg wash, fold the uncovered half over the filling to form a half-moon, and press the edges together with your fingers. Crimp with the tines of a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Step 7: Brush with egg wash. Brush the tops with egg wash and puncture each empanada twice with a fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan about 1 inch apart.
Step 8: Bake. Bake on the lower rack until lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Check the bottoms after 15 minutes. If they are beginning to brown, move the sheet pan to the upper rack.
Step 9: Broil until golden. Set the oven to broil and move the pan to the upper rack if necessary. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the tops are golden brown.
Step 10: Cool and serve. Transfer the empanadas to wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Make the filling ahead. Prepare the sweet potato filling in advance, let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dough can also be made ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze before baking. Assemble the empanadas through Step 6, then freeze them unbaked until firm and transfer to a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen empanadas on a parchment-lined sheet pan, brush with egg wash, prick the tops with a fork, and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed.
- Watch the bottoms as they bake. Check the empanadas after about 15 minutes. If the bottoms are browning too quickly, move the sheet pan from the lower rack to the upper rack.
- Add the piloncillo syrup gradually. You may not need all of it. Add just enough to give the sweet potato filling a smooth, whipped consistency without making it too loose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can prepare the filling and dough ahead of time, or assemble the empanadas and freeze them unbaked. Bake the frozen empanadas as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed.
Yes. If you can’t find piloncillo, substitute 1 cup packed dark brown sugar. The flavor won’t be quite as deep and molasses-like, but it works well in the sweet potato filling.
No. I enjoy these sweet potato empanadas warm or at room temperature, which makes them especially convenient for holiday gatherings.
Yes. If you don’t want to use beer, you can substitute milk. One reader also successfully made these empanadas with sparkling water and said they turned out delicious.
More Mexican Fall Desserts
Did you make these Empanadas de Camote? I’d love to hear how they turned out! Please leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below.
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Empanadas de Camote | Sweet Potato Empanadas
Ingredients
Make Sweet Potato Filling:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup piloncillo, or packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 sweet potatoes
Make Empanada Dough:
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup dark beer, at room temperature
- 1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for the egg wash
Instructions
- To prepare the filling, in a small saucepan over high heat, combine the water, piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the piloncillo. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pierce each sweet potato with a fork two or three times. Place the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave until soft and tender, 10–15 minutes. If they are too firm, continue to cook them in the microwave in 1-minute increments. Let the potatoes cool until they can be handled, then peel and discard the skins.
- Put the potatoes into a bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes while adding the piloncillo syrup, a little at a time, until you have a whipped consistency. You may not need to use all the syrup. Cover and refrigerate the filling until cold.
- To make the dough, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat the butter on medium-low speed until creamy. Add the egg and beat until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Slowly add the beer, beating until a soft, smooth dough forms. You may not need all of the beer.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Divide the dough into 14 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Working in small batches, on the floured surface, flatten each dough ball slightly, then roll out into a thin round about 4 inches in diameter.
- Place a small dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of filling on half each dough round. Using a pastry brush, dampen the edge of the round with the egg wash and fold the uncovered side over the filling to create a half-moon. Press the edges together with you fingers and then with the tines of a fork to seal securely. Repeat until all the dough rounds are filled.
- Brush the top of each empanada with the egg wash, then puncture the top twice with fork tines to allow steam to escape during baking. Arrange the empanadas on the prepared sheet pan, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Place the pan on the lowest oven rack and bake the empanadas until lightly golden, about 25 minutes. If after 15 minutes the bottoms of the empanadas are starting to brown, move the sheet pan to the top rack.
- Set the oven to broil, move the pan to the top rack (if it is not already there), and broil until the tops are golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer the empanadas to wire racks to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make the filling ahead: Prepare the sweet potato filling in advance, cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dough can also be made ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze before baking: Assemble the empanadas as directed, then freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. When ready to bake, place the frozen empanadas on a lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, prick with a fork, and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed.
- Add the syrup gradually: You may not need all of the piloncillo syrup. Add just enough to create a smooth, thick filling that won’t run out of the empanadas.
- Watch the bottoms: Check the empanadas after about 15 minutes. If the bottoms are browning too quickly, move the pan to the upper rack to finish baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is also published in Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Photography: Jenna Sparks
What do you recommend to subsitute for the beer?
Feel free to replace with milk, instead of beer.
I made these. They were delicious. I didn’t have any beer so I used sparking water. I’m not sure how that helped but they were good. Thanks for the recipe.