Guava Pastelitos
Flaky, golden puff pastry wrapped around a filling of guava paste and cream cheese, baked until the edges crisp and the centers go jammy and warm. These are the pastelitos you find in Cuban bakeries across South Florida, and they are worth making at home any day of the week. Store-bought puff pastry is the move, and there is absolutely no shame in it.
Flaky, jammy, and gone in minutes off the tray.
Walk into any Cuban bakery in Hialeah, Tampa, or Miami at seven in the morning and there will be a tray of pastelitos on the counter, still warm from the oven. The guava and cream cheese version is the one most people reach for first, and it is not hard to understand why. The guava paste goes soft and almost jammy, the cream cheese keeps things rich without being heavy, and the pastry shatters when you bite into it.
This recipe uses store-bought puff pastry and that is by design. Bakeries use laminated dough made with serious equipment and years of practice. At home, a good frozen puff pastry sheet gets you most of the way there with a fraction of the effort. One egg from the farm goes into the wash that gives these their deep golden color. The rest is just assembly. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold both puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface and cut each sheet into 8 equal rectangles, giving you 16 pieces total.
- 2
Lay 8 of the rectangles on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them a couple inches apart. Place one portion of cream cheese in the center of each, then set a slab of guava paste directly on top. Keep a half-inch border clear around the edges.
- 3
Brush the border of each pastry base with the beaten egg. Lay the remaining 8 rectangles over the top, pressing the edges firmly together with your fingertips, then crimp all around with a fork to seal them tight.
- 4
Brush the tops generously with egg wash and use a sharp knife to cut two small slits in the center of each pastelito. This lets steam escape and keeps the pastry from puffing up unevenly. Sprinkle sugar lightly over each one.
- 5
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the vents. Let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before eating. The filling stays very hot inside longer than you expect.
Notes from our kitchen
- Guava paste is sold in small cans or blocks at most Latin grocery stores and in the international aisle of many Florida supermarkets. The block form is easiest to slice into uniform slabs.
- Do not skip the slits in the top. Without them, the steam has nowhere to go and the pastry can split open at the seams instead of staying neatly sealed.
- If your puff pastry feels sticky or soft while you are working, slide the assembled pastelitos onto the baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking. Cold pastry puffs better.
Common questions
Can I use homemade guava paste or guava jam instead?
Guava paste is thicker and holds its shape during baking, which is why it works so well here. Jam tends to run and can make the pastry soggy on the bottom. If you have ripe guavas and want to cook down a paste yourself, go for it, but commercial block paste is hard to beat for this.
How do I store leftover pastelitos?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. To bring back some of the crispness, reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but softens the pastry.
Can I make these ahead for a party?
Yes. Assemble them, brush with egg wash, and refrigerate on the baking sheet for up to four hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge and add a couple of extra minutes to the cook time.
