There are traditional Halloween foods and food items: pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie, candy corn, assorted chocolate and candy bars, and more. But this Halloween, you want to serve something different for your family and friends. Whether it is for a Halloween costume party or for your kids Halloween costume adventures (trick-or-treating, school parties), here is a delicious Halloween empanada recipe. This recipe makes about 16 empanadas.

Ingredients pumpkin filling

• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin or 1 medium sized pumpkin, cut in pieces and boiled (let them cool off before making the filling!)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves

Ingredients empanada dough

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 generous pinches cinnamon
• 3 cups flour, divided in half
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Filling, preparation

• Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.

Dough, preparation

• In a large bowl combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cinnamon
• Blend in half of the flour. Mix well with an elctric mixer or by hand using a wooden spoon
• Add shortening and thoroughly mix
• Blend inthe  remaining flour
• Let the dough rest for a while

Empanadas, preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, then divide each part into 4 dough balls. Roll them in circles approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle, fold over, and seal edges using the repulgue technique or by pressing lightly with a fork on both sides.

Bake te empanadas for about 15-20 minutes,  until golden brown. Watch carefully because they can burn quickly.