Name: Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso (Guava Cheese Pastries!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 9 pastries
Ingredients: 1 package puff pastry sheets ((I used Pepperidge Farm)); 1 package guava paste ((I like the Conchita brand)); 1 package cream cheese** (optional (the block over the spreadable kind)); 1 egg** (whisked)

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Cuban pastries or turnovers filled with guava paste and cream cheese. Just 4 ingredients make these pastelitos de guayaba y queso come to life!

Do you remember the first time you tried a pastelito? I don’t. I’m sure I was a toddler though…and I’m sure I loved it! To this day, pastelitos de guayaba are my favorite pastry. Do you have a favorite pastry or turnover? I bet this one will beat out that one in a heartbeat! Flaky crust filled with smooth, fruity guava and creamy, thick cream cheese. You don’t even need the cheese! Mmmm. It’s the most iconic part of a Cuban breakfast! (Aside from ham croquetas, of course.)

I had never made pastelitos at home until I saw Marta Darby’s recipe (see the background story below!). I’m very fortunate to live in Miami where Cuban pastries are as abundant as the Cubans that live here. There’s a Cuban bakery on literally every corner! You want croquetas, Cuban bread or pastelitos? Just drive a block and find a bakery hidden in a corner. Sometimes the temptation is real, my friends.

Making these pastelitos de guayaba y queso was beyond easy (which is dangerous). Just 4 ingredients using puff pastry sheets, guava paste, cream cheese and a whisked egg to seal the deal. See the step-by-step pics below.

The first time I posted this recipe, my friends asked for a care package. Funny, they can all get these ANYWHERE here in Miami but for some reason, nothing beats “homemade”.

I hope you make these and you LOVE them as much as I do!

Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso (Guava Cheese Pastries!)

Cuban pastries or turnovers filled with guava paste and cream cheese. Just 4 ingredients make these pastelitos de guayaba y queso come to life!

5 from 11 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: pastries

Calories: 290kcal

Ingredients

1 package puff pastry sheets (I used Pepperidge Farm)
1 package guava paste (I like the Conchita brand)
1 package cream cheese** optional (the block over the spreadable kind)
1 egg** whisked

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions, usually about 20-30 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cut guava into thin slices. If using cream cheese, cut the block into slices too. Unfold one of the pastry sheets and place it on the cookie sheet.
Place 6 slices of guava per pastry sheet fold about 1-2 inches apart (you'll have 18 slices total on the entire pastry sheet). Add cream cheese over guava paste slices (optional).
Unfold the second pastry sheet and place it over the other one that now has the guava paste slices.
Cut into 9 squares and score the tops of each one. No need to divide the squares. Leave everything intact. Brush egg wash on each one to get that flaky crust.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted from my friend, Marta Darby, at My Big, Fat, Cuban Family. The step by step video for this recipe is property of My Big, Fat, Cuban Family. I do not own the rights to this video. She deserves all the love for this amazing recipe!

—

*These pastries are best served right out of the oven. You can place in an airtight container and reheat them for 10 seconds in the microwave. Careful, the guava can get really hot and burn your tongue.

**To make these pastries vegan, you can sub cream cheese for vegan cream cheese and egg wash for almond milk.

***The nutritional facts listed are a rough estimate since this recipe varies in the amount of guava and cream cheese added to each pastry. Use your best judgement.

Nutrition Facts

Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso (Guava Cheese Pastries!)

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 290 Calories from Fat 145

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 16.1g 25%

Saturated Fat 8.7g 44%

Cholesterol 36mg 12%

Sodium 195mg 8%

Potassium 26mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 33.1g 11%

Dietary Fiber 2.1g 8%

Sugars 14.4g

Protein 4.8g 10%

Calcium 1%

Iron 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Originally posted on October 2016. Updated photos + recipe in January 2019.

The Background Story

I was on the phone with my friend, JennyLee, talking about blog stuff and food. Story of my life. It was a typical day for me. Working, reading, posting. JennyLee suggests, “You should tag Marta Darby on the Maria cookie truffles pic.”

“omg no, she’s like famous lol” I said. Little ol’ me tagging Marta Darby, author of the My Big, Fat, Cuban family blog. Yeah right. She probably wouldn’t even care about this. Naturally, I ignored my brain and did it anyway. To my surprise, not only did she like AND comment on the photo, she reposted it too! Suddenly my analytics were going crazy and I realized it was because she had ALSO shared the Maria cookie truffles recipe on her Facebook page! I died.

This OG blogger was reposting and loving MY posts. Mine. Little ol’ me!? Oh yeah! Watch out, JLo! Not only has she brought us some awesomely relatable content about growing up in a Cuban family which I completely understand and empathize with, she’s been incredibly supportive of me and this blog. For that, I will forever be grateful. *heart emoji*

To celebrate this “milestone”, it’s only natural that I make pastelitos de guayaba using the quick and easy method she showed us on her blog. Try not to dance to the music on the video. Betcha can’t! A BIG congrats to My Big, Fat, Cuban Family on over 10 years of blog awesomeness!

Comments

Serene @ House of Yumm says
October 18, 2016 at 10:48 pm

Ok..So I’ve never had these. But the hubs of course LOVES them and is drooling over my computer screen while I check out the recipe. Have I told you how much I love your site?? You’re teaching me to make all the things my hubs loves and grew up with! Plus I can make them for our kids so they get that experience too. And I love My Big Fat Cuban Family, that’s so exciting that she gave some love to your site. Congrats. I need to buy her Cuban Food Poster to put up in my kitchen. It’s been on my list in Etsy for-ev-er.

- Jamie Silva says
  October 18, 2016 at 10:52 pm
  
  Hi Serene! It makes me so happy to hear that you and your hubby are loving these recipes! It inspires me to continue to make more of them. :) This recipe in particular is sooo easy to make (it’s kinda ridiculous lol), not to mention, absolutely delicious. Someone here tried one of these and asked me what bakery I bought it from. I was like whaaaaa. Ha! And yes, Marta is amazing! I have her Cuban food poster. It’s sooo cute! Thanks again for all the love! Xo
  
Julie says
November 9, 2017 at 7:35 am

My love for these is SO REAL!! I remember when I was FIU, I’d always get a pastelito after a stressful day or hard exam!! Now that I’m living in DC, I can’t find them there! But it’s the perfect excuse to make them homemade! :) These look incredible!

- Jamie Silva says
  November 9, 2017 at 7:09 pm
  
  DO IT! It’s sooo easy to make! :)
  
Carmen says
December 27, 2017 at 10:20 pm

Love the pastries, when i make them i hate to share them. Thats how much i love them, but i do share some

Melanie Melendez Hernandez says
January 10, 2018 at 3:04 pm

Hola Jamie!

I gave in to my cravings and made these pastelitos yesterday and was blown away by how EASY and DELICIOUS the recipe was! I veganized it up a bit and created my own version which I shared on my blog! I hope you check it out and let me know what you think :) https://themeldez.com/2018/01/10/easy-vegan-guava-cheese-pastries-pastelitos-de-guayaba-y-queso/

Thank you so much for sharing your recipes, they help me feel closer to home in the kitchen ❤️?

Un fuerte abrazo,

Melanie.

- Jamie Silva says
  January 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm
  
  THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY. Thank you for sharing!! xo
  
Joanna says
July 25, 2018 at 11:01 am

THanks for the fairly quick and easy recipe. The pastelitos came out perfect. I dusted powder sugar on top for an added touch. Delicious.

Maritza Mestre-Touma says
October 2, 2018 at 11:21 pm

OMG- Jamie! I relocated across the country, was jonesing some pastelitos… Googled the recipe and came across your blog! Not only am I happy to find the recipe, but am so happy to see you following your passion!

- Jamie Silva says
  October 4, 2018 at 12:06 pm
  
  Omg Maritza HI! It’s been so long. Thank you for the kind words! Hope all is well with you. Enjoy the crap outta these pastelitos! <3
  
Rebecca Jaramillo says
November 15, 2018 at 11:16 am

How would you store these? I want to make them a day ahead.

- Jamie Silva says
  November 15, 2018 at 11:43 am
  
  Hi Rebecca, these are best served right out of the oven but if you wanted to make them a day ahead, I’d say to save them in an airtight container at room temperature. Warm up before serving. Hope that helps!
  
Andrea says
January 16, 2019 at 8:59 pm

Delicious!! They are easy to make and the directions explain everything perfectly… I can add this to the rest of the recipes that I’ve learned from Jamie… Thank you for such great ideas!!

- Jamie Silva says
  January 16, 2019 at 9:13 pm
  
  SO happy you enjoy my recipes, Andrea! Thank you! <3
  
Carol says
March 28, 2019 at 9:14 pm

I saw this recipe and had to try them. Visiting family in MN, this makes for a quick and easy dessert. I’m already drooling. Thanks for sharing.

- Jamie Silva says
  March 28, 2019 at 9:33 pm
  
  Happy to hear that, Carol!! Enjoy!!
  
Chuck says
April 14, 2019 at 1:02 am

Just made these and tasted great! I lived in Miami for about 9 years and now that I’m in Arizona finding guava pastries rarely happens. Going to stay stocked in these ingredients now, especially with how easy the prep is! Thanks

Pastelitos de Guayaba + Queso (Guava Cheese Pastries!)