Guava and Cheese Cuban Pastries (with simple store bought ingredients)

Known as Pastelitos de Guayaba y Queso, these sweet and savory treats make an appearance at every Cuban gathering for good reason

Anyone who grew up in Miami knows the important role Vicky Bakery had on all our gatherings. Family and friends come together and someone always shows up with a tray of Cuban pastries from Vicky's.

Although it's not common for us to indulge in such sweets, we can't help to enjoy a treat so prominent to both our lives and culture (we're both part Cuban). So, to be able to make this at home with a few store bought ingredients is perfect for us who don't spend time baking, especially making a flaky crust from scratch! This scratches the itch for a pastelito, and has brought a lot of joy to our lives. We love a simple tasty dessert!

What does a guava and cheese pastries taste like?

They are flaky bites from heaven, there is the soft mild flavor of the vegan cream cheese that envelopes your mouth with the much brighter sweeter notes of guava paste. With a simple syrup coating, you are guaranteeing that every bite is going to make your day just a little bit better.

What store bought ingredients to use?

• Guava Paste
• Vegan Cream Cheese (tofu or nut based, avoid oil based cream cheese as these will liquefy)
• Vegan Friendly Puff Pastry Sheets

How to make these easy vegan Cuban pastries

Making these are quick and simple, especially since the ingredients are minimal and store bought. All we have to do is assemble and bake!

1. Lay the pastry sheet in a baking sheet
2. Cut out squares (guava and cheese pastries are usually triangular)
   • to form your squares, fold in the corners to make a triangle, almost like making a paper plane (see images below)
   • use a pizza cutter to cut the dough
3. Once you have your squares, fill with cream cheese and guava
4. Fold the opposite corners to make a triangle and press them shut
   • Note: If your dough doesn't stay shut, use a little plant based milk to seal it
5. Poke a few holes on top with a fork
6. Brush the tops with simple syrup
7. Bake according to package directions

Making a guava pastries (without cheese)

Feel free to just keep it a classic guava pastelito if you don't want to add cream cheese. This was the original Cuban pastelito until they came to the United States, where cream cheese was introduced.

Coating them with simple syrup

Before popping these in the oven, give them a quick coat of simple syrup over the top to give them a sweet and toasty crust.

How to make simple syrup

To make simple syrup just add equal parts sugar and hot water. You can heat up water in a electric kettle, microwave, or stove-top. Once it's boiling remove and add in the sugar. Stir until it's fully dissolved.

Pastry shapes

Did you know Cuban pastelitos have different shapes for the different ingredients inside of them? Triangle pastries are usually guava and cheese, circles (usually called cangrejitos) are meat filled, and just guava ones are usually rectangular.