Healthier Baked Apple-Cream Cheese Empanadas

Healthier Baked Apple-Cream Cheese Empanadas

Ingredients:

2 packages crescent rolls

2 medium apples, cored, peeled, and cubed

1 tbsp butter, softened (or coconut oil, softened)

4 oz cream cheese (I used light)

¼ cup sugar (or stevia in the raw if you want to lower the calories, sugar & carbs)

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

½ cup light brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:  Put the apples in a pot with enough water to cover them.  Bring water to a boil and cook until the apples are tender, but not too soft, about 3-5 minutes.  Once they are tender strain them from the water and return to the pot.  Add butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves.  Stir to blend, then set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the cream cheese with the sugar and fluff with a fork until fully combined.  Take a crescent roll triangle and lay it flat spreading it out a little.  Put a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture in the center, then top that with a spoon full of apples.  Then take another crescent roll triangle spreading it out first, and then lay it over the other triangle with the mixtures.  Press the edges together to seal it.  Continue that process until all the crescent rolls have been used.  Next, combine the ½ cup brown sugar with the 2 tbsp cinnamon.  Lay each empanada on the cinnamon sugar mixture brushing off excess then lay on a cookie sheet sprayed with either olive oil or coconut oil.  Repeat dipping the empanadas in the mixture.  Then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on the empanadas.  Bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Makes 8 empanadas.  Serve warm.  They are really yummy with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping.