Growing up, my childhood was full of pastelitos of all kinds! From pastelitos de coco to pastelitos de carne, they showed up on Saturday mornings after a bakery run and at every birthday party in multiples of 20.

Pastelitos de queso are a classic. This Cuban cheese pastry is just softened cream cheese wrapped in puff pastry with sugar sprinkled on top. Some people call them quesitos, which means “little cheese,” and those get brushed with simple syrup instead.

Sure, I can go down the street to my favorite Cuban bakery, but nothing beats homemade. These cream cheese pastelitos take only four ingredients, which makes them one of the easiest Cuban-inspired appetizer recipes to pull off for a party.

Let me show you how to make them!

A white speckled plate holds several golden, flaky pastelitos de queso filled with creamy cheese, stacked on a light surface with a blurred green background.

Baking Sheets

I highly recommend using a nonstick, aluminum baking sheet with high heat conductivity that does not warp while in the oven.

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How To Make Pastelitos de Queso

The trick to this pastelitos de queso recipe is in the prep. Let your cream cheese come to room temperature so it spreads easily without tearing the pastry. And cut perfect squares. Rectangles tend to pop open in the oven (it’s PUFF pastry, after all). If you end up with a few, just tuck the loose corner underneath.

Nine rectangular pieces of raw puff pastry for pastelitos de queso arranged in three rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Rectangular pieces of raw puff pastry arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet to make pastelitos de queso, with a dollop of cream cheese spread onto one of the pieces.
A hand uses a silicone brush to apply egg wash to folded pastelitos de queso filled with cream cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Unbaked pastelitos de queso on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Can’t wait for you to make them!

Three golden-brown, flaky pastelitos de queso with creamy cheese filling are arranged on a white speckled plate. The pastries are slightly open to reveal the smooth, pale filling inside.
5 from 4 reviews

Cuban Pastelitos de Queso (Cream Cheese Pastries)

Jamie Silva
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 18 servings
Pastelitos de queso were a staple of my Cuban childhood, from Saturday morning bakery runs to birthday parties where they showed up by the dozens! My homemade version pairs flaky puff pastry with a sweet cream cheese filling, then gets brushed with egg wash and baked at 400°F until puffed and golden. Using store-bought puff pastry keeps them simple enough to make whenever a craving hits.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg, whisked
  • Granulated sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares (4×4) and place them on the baking sheet.
  • Carefully spread one tablespoon of the softened cream cheese, diagonally, from the left corner of the square to the bottom right corner of the square.
  • Brush the corners with egg wash. Bring the bottom left corner of the pastry over the cream cheese and connect to the top right corner, pressing down gently to seal. Repeat with all the pastry squares.
  • Brush each pastry square with egg wash and sprinkle evenly with the granulated sugar.
  • Place the pastries on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Serving: 1pastelito, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 112mg, Potassium: 37mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 183IU, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Cuban
Keyword: cream cheese pastries, cuban pastelitos, cuban pastelitos de queso, pastelitos, pastelitos de queso, quesitos
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