These are cajeta coyotas. Coyotas are a typical tyoe of pastry from the state of Sonora in Mexico, well known in the northwestern part of the country. They were born in Hermosillo in the 1950’s and quickly became popular, as they are delicious. It is said that the term came from the “coyotitas”, women that were in charge of selling them in the streets of that city. So, they got their name “coyotas”.
Jump to recipe
Coyotas are a kind of sweet empanada, but instead of having the shape of an empanada, that is, a half circle, coyotas have the shape of a full circle. Coyotas, in addition, are always filled with something. They are usually filled with sweet things, of course.
There is a great variety of coyota flavors, the main ones being piloncillo, cajeta, guava, jamoncillo, pineapple, apple and strawberry, but basically they can be filled with anything, really. And the fun part is to get original with it.
We owe this recipe to our cousin Mariana, who is originally from Obregón and who, for a while made these coyotas to sell them. This is her recipe and it is, without a doubt, the best of all the ones we have tried before.
Coyotas are made from a dough that calls only for a few ingredients but with one that makes the difference: beer. Beer is ideal for incorporating into different types of dough because it helps with fermentation and also provides a very subtle flavor. I know that many people can worry that coyotas have a very pronounced beer taste, but believe me, you won’t even notice it when they are done, because it adds more texture than flavor, actually.
Another key ingredient in coyotas is fat. You can use only butter or combine it with vegetable shortening, some even use lard, but the important thing is that it is of good quality so that the coyotas are crispy and soft at the same time, a little flaky.
Making coyotas is not difficult at all, but the truth is that making them does take some time, so it is a special recipe to make while with family or friends to have a good time together. It is one of those recipes that once you try the result of, you realize that it is totally worth it.
If you like this recipe, you have to check out our dulce de leche empanadas, you will love them!
Mexican cajeta coyotas
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 8 C (1 kg) all purpouse flour
- 1 C (200 gr) white sugar
- 1 tsp (5 gr) salt
- 1 C + 2 tbsp (250 gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 C + 2 tbsp (250 g) vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 3/4 C (180 ml) cold beer:
For the filling:
- (550 gr) cajeta, pastry level, meaning of thick consistency
- 1 tbsp (8 gr) cornstarch
- 1 egg yolk
To form the coyotas:
- 2 egg whites
- 2 eggs, for the egg wash
- White sugar, for decorating
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and then add the sugar and salt. Mix very well with clean hands trying to break up the sugar a little.
- Add the butter together with the vegetable shortening and knead with the fingertips so that the ingredients are well integrated and a sandy dough is formed.
- Add the cold beer and mix with your hands for a few minutes until a smooth and homogeneous dough is obtained. It is important not to knead excessively and to add more beer if the dough is too dry.
- Once the dough is ready, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
For the filling:
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix with a spoon until well blended.
To form the empanadas:
- On a clean, floured surface, roll out the dough with the help of a rolling pin in an irregular pattern until very thin, about 2 mm thick.
- Using a circular cookie cutter or a glass of about 7 cm in diameter, cut circles all over the rolled out dough. Collect the excess dough, roll it out again and again cut circles to use all the dough.
- To form the coyotas add 1/2 tablespoon of the cajeta filling in the center of a circle of dough. Spread a little egg white on the edge of another circle of dough and immediately place it on top of the other one with the filling to serve as a lid. Flatten the edges of the coyota a little so that it closes very well and repeat the same process to form the rest of the coyotas.
- Preheat the oven to 180° C. Place the coyotas already formed in large baking pans greased with a little butter so they do not stick. To close the coyotas so that the filling does not come out, flatten the edges of each one with a fork and then prick them only once on top with the same fork.
- Before baking, with the help of a kitchen brush, brush the coyotas with beaten egg and then sprinkle them with a little white sugar. Bake the coyotas at 180° C for approximately 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Once ready, remove the coyotas from the oven and let them cool completely before eating. Ready!
