Pastelitos are Cuban puff pastries typically filled with guava and cheese. The dough is flaky and golden, stuffed with cream cheese and jammy guava paste. They are sweet, flaky, and fruity. Plus, they use store-bought puff pastry dough, making them incredibly easy to prepare. These delightful treats come together in less than 30 minutes, creating the perfect, simple pastry.
We were reintroduced to our love of pastelitos from one of our dear friends. She is Cuban and entirely loves all things pastelito. When we were in San Diego together, we were staying near a little Cuban bakery. After getting through the line of people to see the cases of treats inside, we saw what we came for, endless rows of pastelitos. This is where we were reintroduced to these incredible pastries. They are golden, flaky and stuffed with a creamy, jammy inside.
Components of Pastelitos:
- Flaky Puff Pastry Dough: The foundation of pastelitos is the puff pastry dough. This dough is prepared in thin layers with alternating butter, creating the signature flaky and crisp texture when baked. In our recipe, we use store-bought puff pastry dough since we find this is one of those things where store bought really is better 🙂
- Guava Paste: Guava paste, also known as “guayabate,” is a sweet and dense fruit paste made from guava pulp and sugar. It’s a popular ingredient in Cuban and Latin American cuisines, often used in desserts and pastries. The guava paste adds a rich and jammy sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the pastry’s flakiness. We order ours online but you can also find it in some grocery stores or specialty food stores
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the creamy and slightly tangy counterpart to the sweet guava paste. Its smooth texture and mild flavor provide a balanced contrast to the bold sweetness of the guava. When combined with the guava paste, cream cheese creates a velvety filling that melts in your mouth.
- Egg Wash: The egg wash plays a crucial role in the pastelitos’ appearance and texture. It’s made by whisking together an egg and cream, and then brushed over the pastry before baking. The egg wash contributes to the pastry’s golden-brown color and helps create a shiny, attractive finish.
- Sugar: A light sprinkling of sugar on top of the pastelitos just before baking adds a subtle touch of sweetness to the pastry’s surface. As the pastelitos bake, the sugar caramelizes slightly, enhancing both flavor and visual appeal.
Pastelitos FAQs
1. What are pastelitos?
Pastelitos are a type of Cuban pastry that consists of flaky puff pastry filled with a sweet and savory filling, often made with guava paste and cream cheese. They’re a popular treat in Cuban cuisine.
2. Can I use homemade puff pastry dough?
Absolutely! While our recipe uses store-bought puff pastry dough for convenience, you can certainly make your own puff pastry dough if you prefer.
3. Do I need to use guava paste in pastelitos?
Guava paste is a common ingredient in Cuban and Latin American cuisines. Its sweet and jammy nature brings a unique tropical flavor to pastelitos. The combination of guava paste and cream cheese creates a delicious contrast between the sweet filling and the flaky pastry.
4. Can I substitute other fillings for guava paste?
While guava paste is traditional and delicious, you can experiment with a variety of fillings to suit your taste preferences. Try using fruit preserves, Nutella, dulce de leche, or even savory fillings like ham and cheese.
5. How do I prevent my pastelitos from becoming soggy?
To keep your pastelitos crisp and flaky, avoid overfilling them with the guava paste and cream cheese mixture. Leaving a bit of space around the edges helps prevent the filling from seeping out during baking.
Pastelitos
Ingredients
- 6 oz guava paste
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 14 oz puff pastry
Egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Sugar:
- 3 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 375 degrees F
- Cut the guava paste and cream cheese into 6 1 oz rectangular pieces each and set aside
- To make the egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Set aside
- Defrost the puff pastry according to package instructions. Roll out the puff pastry very slightly and cut into 12 even squares/rectangles
- On 6 of the pieces of puff pastry, brush the entire border with egg wash. Place a piece of cream cheese on the base of each an on top place a piece of the guava paste
- Add the remain 6 square on top and gently press along side the edges where the egg was is to seal
- Brush each sealed pastelito with egg wash and top each with a half tablespoon of sugar
- Bake until they are golden brown (about 20 minutes)
