Guava Cheese Pastries (Cuban Pastelitos de Guayaba y Queso)
Do you remember the first time you tried a pastelito? I don’t, but I’m sure I was a toddler since I was born into a Cuban family—and I bet I loved every bite.
To this day, guava and cream cheese pastries are the most iconic part of a Cuban breakfast.
I had never made pastelitos at home until I saw Marta Darby’s recipe. Living in Miami, I’m spoiled… there’s a Cuban bakery on practically every corner, each one serving up flaky Cuban pastries.
Anytime I’m on the road and need Cuban coffee, I’ll grab one with un masa real (because guava is my love language).
Other days, it’s two ham croquetas because you can’t just have one. Duh. 😉
But if you don’t have a Cuban bakery nearby, you can still make this authentic pastelitos de guayaba y queso recipe at home.
Let me show you how!
5-star review
“Thank you Jamie! Like you, I can’t remember when I first tasted pastelitos de guayaba. They’ve just always been a treat. Long story short, I live in Florida but it’s so hard these days to find a bakery that makes them fresh and without all the added sugar, glaze, toppings. So I thought let me look for a recipe rather than trying to find yet another bakery to try. Never in a million years would it have occurred to me that these were so simple to make. Hope to wow the family with this recipe and say goodbye to hunting for a bakery that does them justice. Thank you so much! So glad to have found your blog!”
—Gigi
Step-by-Step Instructions
The best part of this recipe? It only takes 4 ingredients. All you need for these homemade pastelitos is puff pastry, guava paste, cream cheese, and a whisked egg to seal the deal.
I usually grab Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets and Conchita guava paste (my go-to brand), but use whatever you can find.
👉🏼 By the way… the 2 puff pastry sheets get cut into 9 squares each, which gives you 18 total squares. Since each pastelito needs a top and bottom square, you’ll end up with 9 pastelitos total.
👀 Unpopular opinion: Cream cheese is technically optional in guava pastelitos. I usually go all-in on guava (the real star), BUT I’ll admit… adding cream cheese makes them extra rich and velvety (just like my pastelitos de queso). Either way, you can’t lose.
Recommended For This Recipe
Baking Sheets
Highly recommend these aluminum, nonstick baking sheets that provide high conductivity. Perfect for these pastelitos de guayaba y queso!
The first time I shared this recipe, my friends asked me for a care package. They know I LOVE making recipes with guava.
Funny, they can all get these guava queso pastelitos ANYWHERE here in Miami. Just goes to show, nothing beats “homemade”. 🫶🏼
I hope you make these and you LOVE them as much as I do!
Pastelitos de Guayaba Y Queso (Guava Cheese Pastries)
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry sheets, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm)
- 14 oz guava paste, (I like the Conchita brand)
- 8 ounces cream cheese**, optional
- 1 large egg**, whisked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice the guava paste into 9 slices. To keep the knife from sticking, lightly coat the blade with a little oil so it glides through more easily.
- Slice the cream cheese into 9 slices.
- Place one puff pastry sheet on the prepared baking sheet.
- Arrange the guava and cream cheese slices evenly in a 3×3 grid (you’ll have 9 spots total).
- Place the second puff pastry sheet on top to cover the filling.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the stacked pastry sheets into 9 even squares (a 3×3 grid). Each square will be one pastelito with a top and bottom puff pastry layer.
- Lightly score the tops for venting, but don’t pull the squares apart.
- Brush the puff pastry evenly with egg wash for a golden, flaky crust.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
I’m not sure if I didn’t cook long enough or what. But I only used like 3/4th of the guava paste, and it still wasn’t melted fully in any of them. And I’m not a fan of the paste texture. Is it supposed to have melted into a jam texture like your photos?
Hi Kelley! It definitely should have melted into a jam-like texture. My guess is the guava paste you used was a bit too firm/dense, which can happen depending on the brand or how it’s stored. Next time, try cutting the paste into smaller cubes so it melts more evenly. Maybe that will help!
Hi Lorraine, it’s definitely not a proofreading issue, just a small misread. The recipe says to cut both pastry sheets into 9 squares, which gives you 18 total. That equals 9 pastries once sandwiched. The “6 per sheet” part in step 3 refers to the guava slices, not the pastry sheets. That’s why it says “Place 6 slices of guava.” It’s all there in the steps, promise. Hope that clears things up!
These pastelitos are a hit in my family! I’ve been making them several times and we loved them! Thank you!
So happy to hear, Arianna! Thank you for your comment!
Easy and delicious! Loved these. I sealed the edges with the egg wash and cut a slit in the top to make tiny turnovers. Def use the cream cheese! ❤️
This recipe was super easy. It’s delicious. I substituted vegan cream cheese and it tasted great!
So happy you loved it, Phildia! Thank you for your comment.
Used to live in Miami years ago. Miss some of the Cuban food and pastries. Love guava and cream cheese together. Went to Publix and got a guava and cream cheese pastry, boy it was so good but not enough guava and cream cheese. Found some Cuban crackers and guava paste as I had some cream cheese at home. Now I see this recipe and I can make my own pastry now.
Woohoo! Thanks for sharing, Robin! Glad you loved this recipe! :)
Loved how easy it was !! Publix has lost a client for pastelitos !!
HAHA! Best comment ever. Thank you, Ana!!
The sanding sugar on top sounds like a great idea! I’m going to do that when I make mine.
So easy and pretty close to perfectly authentic! I sprinkled some corse sanding sugar to the egg wash before baking for the Calle Ocho experience. Thanks for giving me a taste of home with a recipe even a gringa can’t mess up!
Haha! The Calle Ocho experience is chef’s kiss!
I couldn’t believe how easy these were! My husband’s grandmother used to buy them at Publix in Tampa and freeze them, so she would always have some on hand for us when we visited. The challenge I’ve had with these is that they rise more along the edges than in the middle, I finally learned to separate them squares from each other so they rise evenly. But even when they’re lopsided, they are always delicious!
Super easy recipe! My household loved it. Thank you for sharing.
So happy you enjoyed it, Rhonda!
Right, it’s 18 squares total from the entire package. 2 squares are needed for every pastry – the top square and the bottom square. If there are 9 pastries total with 2 squares required for each, that equals 18 squares total from both pastry sheets. Hope that helps!
My grandmother used to make this when I was very little, she would put powdered sugar on top of the pastry and serve them warm. At that time she made the pastry from scratch, but I find the store bought puff pastry to be much more convenient. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it definitely brings back my childhood memories.
Have you prepared this ahead and refrigerated but not baked yet so you can put in oven when ready to bake so that it is served warm ?
No, I would recommend you bake them and then slightly heat them up when you’re ready to serve. Just be careful because the guava paste may burn your mouth. Enjoy!
Made these for an afternoon treat because my husband is obsessed with guava everything—they were so good and so easy to make too!
We will definitely keep the ingredients on hand so we can make these again and again!
These were so easy to make, and so delicious. Not too sweet, but sweet enough to satisfy dessert cravings!
Delicious and so easy to make. I watched Martas’ video step by step instructions. I keep guava paste, cream cheese and puff pastry on hand to create them in an instant for family and share with friends. Love your recipes and appreciate your Cuban hospitality…looking forward to moving back to Florida.
Love the pastelitos de Guayaba
I have 2 huge pink guava trees here in Camarillo and I make big pots of guava paste every year ! Gracias para esta receta💝
Jealous of your guava trees. 😍 Happy you loved the recipe!
Love these! Had them the first time in Mexico then in Miami. I live in Virginia so not a lot of Cuban options here unless I make them. Thank you!
Hola Jamie:
I made these pastelitos and the came out great! I am not an accomplished cook, but I am starting to enjoy it.
My Mom used to make fried chickpeas with chorizo and off course in a sofrito. Would you happen to have a recipe? I need help with the ingridients and the process.
Regards,
Humberto Suarez
Hi! So happy they came out great. Not sure what that chickpea with chorizo recipe is… is it a stew?
Jamie, I have done this recipes I can’t even tell you how many times and I just realized today when I went to make it again that it is you! It’s Veronika. Hope all is well. Love this simple recipe. I have made it for home, for work, and family parties. I hope to see you soon girl! Love your site:)
Yes! I love and Miss these so Much! I can’t wait to make them. Only problem there isn’t any pastry dough around here! In Midwest. I Miss Miami! Especially the Food!
I will find a way to improvise. I have to for my empanadas, I make the dough too. Oh now I have to order some Guava! Yum I’m so excited! Thank you for sharing this Inspiration. I Miss that Cuban Food!
Simple and delicious now I’m spoiled and don’t like to buy them.
I’m so happy I found this recipe! It looks so easy too. I don’t know why I thought it would require a lot more effort. I used to occasionally travel down to FL and could find these in any cafe. I LOVE them as a treat for breakfast. I’ve not been able to travel since traveling for work, or anywhere, really, has changed. I looked for a place here in AZ that might make them and haven’t found anywhere. I ALMOST ordered some frozen-bake-at-home ones for $$$$. I am glad I didn’t I am making these this weekend and cannot wait to have one (or two) on the patio with a strong cup of coffee con leche. Thanks!!
You’re gonna LOVE it! Please come back and let me know how it turns out for you! :)
Thank you Jamie! Like you, i can’t remember when I first tasted pastelitos de Guayaba. They’ve just always been a treat.. long story short. I live in Florida but it’s so hard these days to find a bakery that makes them fresh and without all the added sugar, glaze, etc. Toppings. So I thought let me look for a recipe rather than trying to find yet another bakery to try. Never in a million years would it have occurred to me that these were so simple to make. Hope to wow the family with this recipe and say goodbye to hunting for a bakery that Does them justice. Thank you so much! So glad to have found your blog!
That makes me so happy, Gigi! Hope you and your family enjoy them! :)
I made these with my twin grand daughters. They turned out flaky and tasty.. The girls said they look professional.
Amazing!! So happy to hear that!!
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
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.
Happy to hear that, Carol!! Enjoy!!
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!!
SO happy you enjoy my recipes, Andrea! Thank you! <3
How would you store these? I want to make them a day ahead.
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!
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!
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
THanks for the fairly quick and easy recipe. The pastelitos came out perfect. I dusted powder sugar on top for an added touch. Delicious.
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 :)
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes, they help me feel closer to home in the kitchen ❤️?
Un fuerte abrazo,
Melanie.
THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY. Thank you for sharing!! xo
Love the pastries, when i make them i hate to share them. Thats how much i love them, but i do share some
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!
DO IT! It’s sooo easy to make! :)
Hi! Thanks so much for the recipe. :) I was wondering if you had any experience with freezing the fully assembled, but NOT yet cooked pastelito? Do they hold well? I want to prep them in a way that my friend can thaw and bake them fresh whenever she likes. Any input would be appreciated! Thank you!
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.
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