Strawberry Empanada Recipe That Will Make Your Valentine’s Day

Nothing says, “I love you,” like breakfast in bed. For your S.O. to wake up early and make a pot of coffee and something to eat, place it all lovingly on a tray with a bouquet of roses… that is LOVE.

If you’re thinking about making breakfast in bed for your lover on Valentine’s Day, then it needs to be something that won’t get messy and gross. Nobody wants crumbs in the sheets. Ew. Also, you want a recipe that is quick. You don’t want to be in the kitchen for an hour and have your girl or guy jump out of bed and ruin the surprise. No, it has to be a recipe that takes less than 20 minutes.

That brings us to the absolutely delightful batch of strawberry empanadas. This is the perfect breakfast in bed recipe. It takes less than 30 minutes to make four of the best melt-in-your-mouth breakfast treats.

Why Strawberries Get You In The Mood for Valentine’s Day

You can make a sweet empanada with any fruit, but trust me when I say you should stick to strawberries for this recipe. Strawberries are considered to be one of the aphrodisiac foods. Apparently in Ancient Rome, strawberries were used as a symbol for Venus, and there’s a legend that if you split a strawberry in half with a partner, you will fall in love with each other. You can read more on “History & Lore” of strawberries from this post by The University of Illinois Extension.

That said, science doesn’t necessarily report that aphrodisiac foods increase sexual desire. Whether you believe in the power of the strawberry or not, most strawberry fans have to admit that the fruit is sexual. There’s a reason strawberries pair so beautifully with champagne and chocolate. Look, my grandparents read this, so I won’t start graphically talking about strawberries, but y’all know.

Setting A Romantic Breakfast in Bed Scene

You can make your lover breakfast in bed for any occasion, but if it’s Valentine’s Day, you better set the scene. First, shop ahead. That should be obvious. When you go to the store, you’ll need to buy the strawberry empanada ingredients: croissant dough, strawberries, cream cheese, brown sugar, and butter.

Shopping for breakfast in bed

Along with the ingredients for the strawberry empanadas, you should look for some additional mood setters. His/her favorite bottle of champagne, orange juice or grapefruit juice for mimosas, a serving tray for the breakfast in bed, a new pink or red coffee mug for two, and flowers. You know your S.O. best, so maybe you want to add a thoughtful card. A vanilla or caramel scented candle would really add to the ambiance when you bring him or her breakfast, so don’t forget that.

Once you’ve done your shopping, you can make the strawberry cream cheese filling ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, and hide it if you can. The element of surprise is in your favor.

Setting up breakfast in bed

The morning of, set a quiet alarm that isn’t annoying. Change your alarm sound to something soothing like soft bells chiming. If your S.O. wakes up, tell them you’ll bring back coffee and to stay there. Grab a book for them to read in bed if they’re the restless type.

Now, you’re ready to make breakfast. Start your pot of coffee. Then, grab the filling you made ahead. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating, start working your dough. Split your crescent dough into 4 sheets. Then, blend the seems together. Distribute your strawberry cream cheese filling between the four sheets. Add it to the top half of each. Then fold the dough over and crimp the seams. Bake the empanadas for 10-12 minutes.

While the strawberry empanadas are baking, prepare your tray. Pour your coffee. Place the mugs and a plate onto the tray. Add two champagne flutes with a little juice. Add the candle and flowers to the tray.

Once the strawberry empanadas are a golden brown, add them to the tray. Brush the empanadas with melted butter and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Then, bring everything to the bedroom to make your S.O.’s day. Pop the champagne, and enjoy. (Make sure to enjoy the strawberry empanadas too.)

Strawberry Empanadas Recipe

Strawberry Empanada Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2/3 cups chopped strawberries
• 1 8 count package of crescent rolls (I used Pillsbury)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Strawberry Empanada Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Mix the room temperature cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Once mixed, add in the chopped strawberries. (You can prep this the night before)
3. Unfold the crescent dough and divide it into 4 rectangles. Smooth the dough along the diagonal seams to make it as even as possible.
4. Next, evenly spoon the strawberry cream cheese mix onto the top half of each rectangle. Fold the dough over and seal each empanada with a fork.
5. Bake the empanadas for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be a beautiful golden brown.
6. Once their ready, brush the empanadas with melted butter and sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar on each.
7. Enjoy with mimosas and coffee. 🙂

Print Recipe

Strawberry Empanadas

breakfast, dessert

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 12 minutes – Total Time: 17 - 20 minutes

Dessert for breakfast in bed? These delicious strawberry empanadas melt in your mouth.

Ingredients

• Strawberry Empanada Ingredients
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2/3 cups chopped strawberries
• 1 8 count package of crescent rolls (I used Pillsbury)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

Strawberry Empanada Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

2

Mix the room temperature cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Once mixed, add in the chopped strawberries. (You can prep this the night before)

3

Unfold the crescent dough and divide it into 4 rectangles. Smooth the dough along the diagonal seams to make it as even as possible.

4

Next, evenly spoon the strawberry cream cheese mix onto the top half of each rectangle. Fold the dough over and seal each empanada with a fork.

5

Bake the empanadas for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be a beautiful golden brown.

6

Once their ready, brush the empanadas with melted butter and sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar on each.

7

Enjoy with mimosas and coffee. 🙂

Notes

Make the filling ahead and refrigerate overnight. Serve the pastries fresh.