This guava pastry recipe is inspired by the pastelitos de guayaba y queso from my beloved Cuban bakeries in South Florida. With just a few ingredients and a little time, you’ll have golden brown bites of sweet, tangy, tropical heaven.
Why You’ll Love It
These guava pastelitos (aka Cuban guava pastries) are the ultimate delicious treat for anyone craving a taste of Cuban cuisine.
Each one of these guava cream cheese pastries is filled with creamy, tangy cream cheese and sweet, fruity guava paste.
Using store-bought puff pastry dough saves time while still giving you that signature flaky crust you’d expect from your local latin market.
This easy recipe is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a quick snack when paired with Cuban coffee.
Plus, these flaky pastries are super versatile—you can play with the filling or even make your own puff pastry or your own guava paste if you’re feeling fancy.
The egg wash and sparkling sugar on top give each pastry a beautifully glittery golden finish, while the parchment-lined baking sheet makes cleanup a breeze.
My family is obsessed with these delicious Cuban inspired guava pastries with cream cheese and I know you're going to love them.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff Pastry Dough: Pepperidge Farm store-bought puff pastry sheets are a time-saver and are my go-to favorite pastry when making this easy recipe... but you can make your own homemade puff pastry if you’re feeling ambitious. Their puff pastry sheets come in squares so it makes it super easy to get equal portions out of each one. Just make sure you allow them to come to room temperature before making these cuban guava pastry.
- Cream Cheese: Super cold plain cream cheese works best for this recipe since you'll need to slice the cream cheese into small pieces. You could also use sweetened cream cheese if you prefer but I like the balance of sweet and savory when you use regular cream cheese. Goat cheese would also be delicious.
- Guava Paste: Guava paste is the star of this pastelitos de guayaba recipe. If you're looking to make your own homemade guava jam, guava jelly, or another sort of tropical fruit paste from fresh guava, you totally should! But full disclosure, I have never made it so I don't have a recipe for it - so sorry!
- Egg White: Whisked egg white acts as the glue to seal the edges and gives these cuban pastries their golden brown crust. A teaspoon of water can be added to make a thinner wash. You could also leave the egg yolks in it if you prefer.
- Sparkling Sugar: Turbinado sugar or brown sugar can be swapped in, but sparkling sugar gives the best crunch and shine on these guayaba con queso pastries.
How to Make It
- Preheat Oven: The first thing you'll want to do to make this guava pastry recipe is to preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry: Roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal squares . Repeat with the second sheet, giving you 8 squares total.
- Add the Filling: Slice the cream cheese and guava paste into 1 oz pieces (about ¼-inch thick). Place one slice of cream cheese and one slice of guava paste diagonally across the center of each puff pastry square.
- Make Egg Wash: Place the egg yolk in a small bowl. Use the tines of a fork to whisk the egg yolk together and break up any strands or strings.
- Fold and Seal: Fold the two opposite corners of the pastry toward the middle, covering the filling. Dab a small amount of whisked egg white onto the edges to seal them securely.
- Prepare for Baking: Arrange the pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the tops of the pastries with the remaining egg white. Sprinkle each with sparkling sugar for extra crunch and shine.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. They're done once the pastries are puffed up and the top of each pastry are golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pastries from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips for Perfect Guava Cream Cheese Pastries
- Cutting Puff Pastry Squares: Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife for equal portions to ensure even baking. Roll the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface for a little thinner crust, if preferred.
- Sealing the Pastries: Make sure to brush edges with the whisked egg wash to prevent these latin pastries from opening up while baking.
- Baking: Always bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup and perfectly crisp pastries. Keep the pastries in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. If you notice that the cuban pastelitos are getting more brown on one side, simply turn the parchment paper lined
- Storing: Place leftovers in an airtight container to keep the flaky pastries fresh. Reheat in a toaster oven for that just-baked texture.
What goes with them?
My favorite thing to serve these guava pastries is a hot café con leche from your favorite cuban bakery! But if you want to make something yourself, here are my favorite cuban things to serve them with. (Also, I am white so my recipes are not authentic to any latin american cuisines but they're still pretty dang tasty! If you're looking for an authentic Cuban recipes, check out a Sassy Spoon or My Big Fat Cuban Family.)
- Smith Family's Tampa Cuban Sandwich Recipe with Garlic Herb Butter
- One Pot Black Beans and Rice Recipe
- Baked Empanadas Recipe (Easy & Delicious Beef)
- Caramelized Pan-Fried Sweet Plantains Recipe
- Garlic Cilantro Sauce
Recipe
Easy Guava Pastries Recipe with Cream Cheese (Pastelitos)
Ingredients
- 1 package Puff Pastry 2 sheets, thawed
- 1 8 oz packet Cream Cheese
- 8 oz Guava Paste (8 slices)
- 1 large Egg White whisked
- ¼ cup Sparkling Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Repeat with the second sheet, giving you 8 squares total.
- Slice the cream cheese and guava paste into 1 oz pieces (about ¼-inch thick). Place one slice of cream cheese and one slice of guava paste diagonally across the center of each puff pastry square.
- Fold the two opposite corners of the pastry toward the middle, covering the filling. Dab a small amount of whisked egg white onto the edges to seal them securely.
- Arrange the pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the tops of the pastries with the remaining egg white. Sprinkle each with sparkling sugar for extra crunch and shine.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastries are puffed up and golden brown.
- Remove the pastries from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
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