These Guava Cream Cheese Pastries (Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso) are made with sweet guava, soft cream cheese and enveloped in buttery puff pastry. They are baked until golden brown, resulting in a creamy, gooey, flaky, deliciously pastry.
Growing up in Florida, we were surrounded by Cuban bakeries that made all sorts of delicious treats. I don’t remember the first time I had Guava Cream Cheese Pastries because they were just always there, a part of my childhood. What I do remember however, is how I’d relish them anytime we brought them home.
To this day, Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso are one of my favorite pastries.
Flaky crust filled with smooth, fruity guava and creamy, cream cheese, my mouth waters just thinking about them. The neighborhood we grew up in had an abundant Cuban population. There was a Cuban bakery on every other corner where you could smell the tempting aromas of these Guava Cream Cheese Pastries, freshly baked pan, Pastel de Pollo and sweet flan. My brother and I would eagerly wait for our weekly bakery visits.
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WHAT’S GUAVA PASTE, WHERE CAN I GET IT?
Guava paste is a really thick, dense puree of guava that has been cooked down with sugar. It can be sliced into chunks. Guava paste typically comes either in cans or sometimes in little bricks wrapped in plastic. It’s shelf stable until opened so I usually buy a few bricks and keep them to use as I need them.
You can find Guava paste in the ethnic section of most grocery stores or at your local Hispanic or Caribbean specialty store. Alternatively, it’s also available on most online stores such as Amazon!
HOW TO MAKE GUAVA CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES
- Prepare the guava paste and cream cheese mixture in two separate bowls.
- Make and egg wash by whisking an egg together or use two tablespoons of heavy cream.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheets to smooth out any creases and cut each sheet of puff pastry into 10-12 rectangles (1 1/2 inches wide by 3 inches long).
- Place a spoon of the guava paste and cream cheese on one half of the rectangle, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the edges over to create a guava and cream cheese filled pouch.
- Lightly press the edges of each pastry with your fingers or a fork.
- Cut a few slashes into the top of each pastry to release steam as the pastelitos bake.
- Brush the tops of each pastry with egg wash or heavy cream, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
TIPS FOR THE BEST GUAVA PASTRY
- You can serve these warm or room temperature. They store well in an airtight container at room temperature for two days.
- I like to sprinkle these guava cream cheese pastries with coarse sugar for a little crunch on top. But you can enjoy them plain or dusted with powdered sugar instead.
- The vanilla in the cream cheese gives it the perfect bakery taste in flavor, I highly suggest not to skip that step.
- You can make these ahead of time and freeze them once you’ve assembled. When you’re ready to use, pull them out of the freezer about 30 minutes before using so they can thaw. Give them a quick egg wash and bake.
- 1 (17 oz) package puff pastry, thawed
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup guava paste
- 1 egg or 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Coarse sparkling sugar
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Warm guava paste in a microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds. Stir until it's a spreadable consistency.
- In another bowl, stir softened cream cheese with vanilla until smooth and spreadable.
- Beat the egg and water together in a separate bowl and set aside. Alternatively, use heavy cream.
- Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry with a rolling pin and cut into 10-12 rectangular strips, about 1½ inch-wide and 3 inches long.
- Place half a tablespoon spoon of the cream cheese and guava paste on one half of the rectangle, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the edges over to create a guava and cream cheese filled pouch. Repeat with remaining rectangles
- Brush egg wash all over the pastries.
- Use a sharp knife to cut small slashes in the top of each pastry so steam can escape while the pastries bake, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy,
I live in HAWAII and our yard has a number of guava trees. This makes it tooooooo goooood!