Empanadas

We get together with our BFFs every single weekend.  We're like family in that we celebrate birthdays and holidays together, even going on our Christmas tree hunt together every year.  Every so often we like to do a theme night.  Mexican is an easy theme to work with, because it's so gluten-free friendly and the beverage choices are so appealing.  If you've never tried Tarantula tequila, run out and buy some.  It's not Patron, but it's not $45 a bottle either.

I tend to bring dessert for theme nights and that might be a Black Forest Cake (German,) Macaroons(French,) or Churros (the last Mexican night.)  This time I made Empanadas.

I started by whisking together 2/3 cup white rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, and 1/3 cup sorghum flour.

In my stand mixer, I creamed together 1 cup softened butter and 8 oz of cream cheese.

I added the dry ingredients and beat until a dough formed.  I patted it out into a couple of rectangles and chilled in the frig for several hours.  You can chill it in one rectangle, but I find that it's too much dough for rolling and the dough needs to be cold to roll out properly.

I liberally dusted my counter with flour,

and rolled out my dough as thin as I could get it.

Using my 3" biscuit cutter, I cut out several circles,

and topped each circle with a teaspoon of strawberry preserves.

Wet the edges of the circles and pinch together to form crescent shapes.  Bake at 375 for 16-18 minutes.

While the empanadas are baking prepare your cinnamon sugar.  Use about 1 tbsp of cinnamon for a cup of sugar.  I like to line a pie plate with wax paper when dusting cookies with sugar, because it's easy to hold the edges of the paper to roll the cookies.

When the empanadas are lightly browned, remove them from the oven and immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

Let cool on a rack and fend off the little hands that will be sure to be drawn to the aroma.

Thanks for popping in and baking with me.  I'm linking up to Gluten-Free Wednesdays.