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Empanadas de Viento

Feather-light fried empanadas that balloon like balloons, stuffed with cheese and dusted with sugar — Cuenca’s beloved ‘wind’ empanadas.

⏱ 30 minPrep time
🔥 15 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 AppetizerCategory
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Empanadas de Viento - Puffed Cheese Empanadas

Empanadas de viento — ‘wind empanadas’ — are the pride of Cuenca, where paper-thin wheat dough is stuffed with cheese and fried until it puffs up like a pillow. The result is a crackling shell with a hollow, airy center and molten cheese inside, traditionally dusted with sugar and eaten with coffee.

They puff like balloons, then disappear in minutes

The name says it all: the empanadas inflate dramatically in the hot oil, leaving a delicate, blistered crust around a pocket of melted, stretchy cheese. The sweet sugar dusting against the savory cheese is an unexpected, addictive pairing.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Mix the flour, salt, and anise in a bowl, rub in the butter with your fingertips, then add the egg and enough warm water to form a soft, pliable dough; knead for 5 minutes.
  2. Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
  3. Divide the dough into 8 to 10 pieces and roll each into a thin 6-inch circle.
  4. Place 2 tablespoons of cheese in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal the edges firmly with a fork.
  5. Heat the oil to 350°F and fry the empanadas for 2 to 3 minutes per side until puffed and deep golden.
  6. Drain on paper towels and dust generously with sugar while still warm; serve immediately with coffee or hot chocolate.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Seal the edges twice — any leak deflates the puff. The dramatic ballooning is your sign of success; eat them warm, and refresh leftovers in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

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Recipe details

Prep30 min
Cook15 min
Servings6
CategoryAppetizer
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →