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When you’re short on time, but you want something quick and easy and special to feed the kids, Easy Mini Fried Pies or Empanadas for kids are the perfect solution to your crazy, busy life.

_{Let’s make easy Mini Empanadas!}

Let’s make some Easy Mini Empanadas

The best part about these mini fried pies is their size — they’re just right for snacking and portion-control which is so important when trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle. You’re gonna feel good about serving these for dessert or as a memorable after-school snack.

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Easy Mini Fried Pies {Empanadas} recipe ingredients

2 refrigerated pie crusts, rolled smooth
1 20-oz can cherry pie filling (or filling of your choice)
2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
large round cookie cutter (3 1/2″)
oil for frying

fried pies steps — _{Let’s get cooking!}

How to make Easy Mini Fried Pies {Empanadas}

Step 1

First things first: Get your oil for frying heated up on the stove. I like to set my stove to medium-low and heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet while I’m making the mini fried pies.

_{Cut several circles out of your rolled-out refrigerated pie crusts with your large round cookie cutter.}

Step 2

Now you’re going to cut several circles out of your rolled-out refrigerated pie crusts with your large round cookie cutter. You can roll out the “scraps” and cut more circles if you’d like–this way you get about 20 mini fried pies per recipe.

_{Spoon out 2-3 cherries with a small amount of the filling and place them into the center of each pie crust circle.}

Step 3

Next, spoon out 2-3 cherries with a small amount of the filling and place them into the center of each pie crust circle. Be careful not to put too much cherry pie filling into your mini fried pies or you’ll make a huge mess (ask me how I know).

_{Press and seal the edges with a fork.}

Step 4

Press and seal the edges with a fork.

_{FRY! Until golden brown. Remove from hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.}

Step 5

Fry baby, FRY! Until golden brown. Remove from hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

_{Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.}

Step 6

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. You can call them “empanadas” if you like. You’ll sound fancier that way.

Yield: 20 mini pies

Easy Mini Fried Pies {Empanadas} Recipe for Kids

Name: Easy Mini Fried Pies {Empanadas} Recipe for Kids
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: Snack
Ingredients: 2 refrigerated pie crusts; 1 20-oz can cherry pie filling (or filling of your choice); 2 Tablespoons salted butter; 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar; 1 large round cookie cutter (3 1/2"); oil for frying

When you’re short on time, but you want something quick and easy and special to feed the kids, Easy Mini Fried Pies or Empanadas for kids are the perfect solution to your crazy, busy life. Let's get cooking!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 refrigerated pie crusts
1 20-oz can cherry pie filling (or filling of your choice)
2 Tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
1 large round cookie cutter (3 1/2")
oil for frying

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy skillet on the stove at medium-low heat until hot.
While waiting for the oil to heat up, roll out refrigerated pie crusts until smooth. Use a large round cookie cutter to cut several circles out of dough. You can save the scraps and roll them out to cut more circles for more mini fried pies.
Place about 1 Tablespoon of cherry pie filling onto the center of each pie dough circle, being careful not to overfill. A guide is to place 2-3 cherries with filling onto each center.
Fold each pie dough circle in half, and then press and seal the edges with a fork.
Carefully place uncooked mini fried pies into hot oil and fry, four at a time, for about 30 seconds on each side or until golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm.