Cuban pastelitos de guayaba are baked puff pastry squares filled with firm guava paste, usually with cheese alongside it. The edges are sealed with egg, the tops are vented so steam escapes, and a brush of egg and a pinch of sugar give the finished pastry its glossy bakery top.
Why a Guava Pastelito Is Counter Food in Miami
Cuban pastries, known in Spanish as pasteles or pastelitos, are baked puff-pastry pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings. Traditional fillings include guava and cheese, plus cream cheese quesitos, pineapple, and coconut (source).
Puff pastry needs a flat, heavy sheet so the bottoms brown at the same rate the tops do. Commercial-weight aluminum will not warp when the oven runs hot enough to lift the layers.
The egg wash is what gives pastelitos their shine, and a heavy hand with it glues the layers shut at the edge. Silicone bristles lay it on thin and rinse clean of egg.
NydiasMiamiKitchen is one of the four cooks behind this recipe. Her words: “Una de nuestras tradiciones aquí en Miami es pasar por una cafetería cubana o una panadería cubana en cualquier momento del día, pero especialmente por la mañana.” In English, that means stopping by a Cuban cafeteria or bakery any time of day, especially in the morning (source). The bread that comes out of a Cuban bakery is on this site too, as pan cubano, a lard-enriched loaf with a seam pressed down its top.
An encyclopedia entry on Versailles, the Little Havana restaurant, backs this up from outside the corpus. It records guava pastries sold there beside Cuban coffee at a walk-up window (source). The same entry lists croquetas at that window too, and those have their own recipe here: croquetas de jamon, minced ham bound in a thick milk sauce and fried. That is the whole of what this post can say about the counter. It comes down to one cook’s account of Miami and one restaurant’s record of what sits next to the coffee.
Nydia’s son lives in New Orleans, and she says it plainly: “Y eso es una de las cosas que más extraña de Miami.” In English, that is one of the things he misses most about Miami (source).
Guava paste has nothing to do with Cuba specifically. It is a Hispanic American confection. Cooks simmer guava pulp with sugar for hours, then cool it into firm blocks that slice cleanly (source). The fruit underneath it is Psidium guajava, a small tropical tree native to tropical America. Its fruit is eaten raw and processed into jams, jellies, and preserves (source).
Receta Cubana, whose recipe this post follows, calls it more than a preference: “Un postre imprescindible en la comida cubana.” In English, an essential dessert in Cuban food (source). That is her word, not this site’s claim, not a verdict on an entire country.
Why Guava Paste Works and Guava Jam Does Not
Receta Cubana addresses the guava jam question directly. Her answer: “si puedes usar mermelada de guayaba, mi recomendación es que no lo hagas.” In English, yes, you could use guava jam, but her recommendation is that you don’t (source). Her reasoning is mechanical, not traditional. Guava jam is too liquid, and it runs out of every edge of the pastry as it bakes.
Guava paste comes as a firm block. It holds its shape as it warms instead of turning to syrup.
Guava paste comes as a firm block. It holds its shape as it warms instead of turning to syrup.
Vents matter for the same reason. Receta Cubana explains: “haz pequeñas ranuras para que liberen todo el vapor dentro del pastel y no se termine saliendo el relleno por los bordes.” In English, cut small slits so the steam inside the pastry escapes, and the filling doesn’t leak out at the edges (source).
Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara cuts three slits into each top instead of one. A longer diagonal runs down the center. A shorter cut sits on either side of it. She runs the blade all the way through the top layer (source). Those three cuts are what keep the filling inside the pastry instead of leaking at the seams.
The Egg Does Two Jobs
NydiasMiamiKitchen explains: “Vamos a pincelar las esquinas de todos los pasteles con la mezcla de huevo. Esto va a ayudar a mantener los pastelitos juntos.” In English, brush the corners of all the pastries with the egg mixture, because it helps hold the pastelitos together (source). She calls the egg “esto es como un pegamento,” which means this is like a glue (source).
Receta Cubana reaches for the same fix independently. “Para que no se desborde el relleno, pincelamos la masa con huevo batido.” In English, so the filling doesn’t spill out, brush the dough with beaten egg (source). She adds: “Luego presiona con las yemas de los dedos para que se pegue bien.” In English, then press with your fingertips so it sticks well (source).
Only after the pastelito is sealed does the egg turn cosmetic. Receta Cubana: “Encima unta más huevo batido para que queden bien doraditos.” In English, brush more beaten egg on top so they turn a nice golden brown (source). Sugar goes on last: “Y al finalizar añade una pizca de azúcar blanco.” In English, to finish, add a pinch of white sugar (source).
Thaw Completely, Then Move Fast
Anitas Delights is emphatic on both ends of this. A frozen sheet has to thaw all the way through before you touch it. Pastry left sitting out too long past that point turns sticky and hard to handle (source). Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara ran into the second half of that warning directly. Her sheets sat a little too long. They came out softer than she wanted by the time she started working with them (source). The window between not-ready and too-soft is real, and it isn’t wide.
The window between not-ready and too-soft is real, and it isn’t wide.
The Pizza Cutter Shortcut
Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara lays her fillings out spaced across one whole sheet of pastry. She covers the lot with a second sheet. Then she cuts the pastelitos apart with a pizza cutter instead of a knife, running the wheel down the empty lanes between the fillings (source). She can feel the air pocket under the top layer there. Cutting all the way through lets the pieces separate cleanly instead of fusing back together in the oven. It is the fastest route to a full tray, which is why this recipe calls for a pizza cutter alongside a knife.
Two Ways to Assemble, Neither More Correct
Anitas Delights cuts her squares first, then fills each one individually and tops it with its own square of pastry (source). NydiasMiamiKitchen and Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara build the whole sheet first and cut it apart afterward. Receta Cubana works in squares and rectangles. For a triangular shape, she folds a single piece of dough over the filling instead of sandwiching two pieces together (source). All three routes end at the same pastelito. Pick whichever one matches how much counter space is open.
One Oven, Not Two
This recipe bakes at 350°F (180°C), the temperature both Receta Cubana and NydiasMiamiKitchen used with no reported problem. Receta Cubana pulls hers at 20 minutes; NydiasMiamiKitchen bakes hers 30 minutes at the same temperature (source) (source). Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara tried the dish hotter, at 400°F for 25 minutes. She got a crisp, flaky crust, but the filling never fully melted. She said afterward she would go lower and longer next time (source). That result, not a preference, is why this post treats 350°F as the route worth trusting.
Ingredients
This is Receta Cubana’s recipe. She gives real weights from start to finish, and she bakes at the temperature this post treats as the primary route (source). Where another cook’s ingredient or technique appears below, the sentence names her. The tools involved are ordinary: a box of puff pastry from the freezer section, a bar of guava paste from the international aisle, a block of cheese, and a pizza cutter pulled from a drawer instead of a knife.
- 1 box (17.3 oz / 490 g) frozen puff pastry, 2 sheets, thawed
- 7 oz (200 g) guava paste, cut into thin rectangles
- 7 oz (200 g) queso blanco or full-fat cream cheese, cut into thin slices
- 1 large egg (about 2 oz / 50 g), beaten
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water
- 2 tsp (8 g) white granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
Guava paste, not jam, jelly, or marmalade. It should come as a firm block, usually in a flat tin or a wrapped bar in the international or Latin aisle. If it slices cleanly and holds its shape on the cutting board, it’s the right product.
The cheese is a real choice, and both answers are correct. Receta Cubana asks for 200 g of cheese. Her words: “de preferencia queso blanco,” meaning preferably white cheese (source). She calls the pairing settled in her own words: “Es la combinación perfecta a la que estamos acostumbrados los cubanos y créanme que sabe de maravilla. Nada lo supera.” In English, it’s the perfect combination Cubans are used to, and it tastes wonderful. Nothing beats it (source). NydiasMiamiKitchen and Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara both use cream cheese instead. Neither pairing is more correct than the other.
Cheese is optional entirely. Receta Cubana fills some of hers with guava alone. “En algunos solo he puesto guayaba porque aparte de la familia también les gusta así.” In English, in some she has only put guava, because part of the family likes them that way too (source). Anitas Delights makes hers guava-only throughout (source).
Buy the pastry. All four cooks do. Anitas Delights is upfront that she has no interest in making puff pastry from scratch. NydiasMiamiKitchen buys hers from the refrigerated case at the supermarket. Receta Cubana asks for a thin sheet: “Les recomiendo que sea fina para que el resultado sea el mejor.” In English, she recommends it thin so the result turns out best (source).
A US box of frozen puff pastry holds two sheets and weighs about 490 g, close to Receta Cubana’s 500 g. The swap needs no adjustment. That’s the kind of detail that matters when the recipe on your phone has to match the box in your cart.
The method below follows Receta Cubana’s, since hers is the one worked through in grams from start to finish. Where another cook does something differently, her name is on that step.
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry completely before doing anything else. Frozen sheets need about 40 minutes on the counter. Refrigerated sheets are ready as they are. Pastry that’s still cold in the middle will crack when you unfold it.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C), the temperature both Receta Cubana and NydiasMiamiKitchen bake at, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the guava paste into thin rectangles, about 2 inches (5 cm) long and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Cut the cheese into slices the same size.
- Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl.
- Dust the work surface lightly with flour and unfold the first pastry sheet. Roll it out just enough to even it up. Trim the edges square.
- Cut the sheet into 6 equal rectangles. Repeat with the second sheet. You’ll have 12 pieces in all: 6 bottoms and 6 tops.
- Set a piece of guava paste in the center of 6 of the rectangles. Lay a slice of cheese on top of the guava if using. Leave a clear border all the way around.
- Brush beaten egg around all four borders of each filled rectangle. The egg is what holds the pastelito shut in the oven.
- Lay a second rectangle over each one. Press the borders down with your fingertips, all the way around, so the two layers stick.
- Cut small vent slits across each top, the way Receta Cubana does, so the steam inside can escape. Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara cuts three: a longer diagonal down the middle with a shorter one on each side of it, each blade stroke going all the way through the top layer. Without vents, steam pushes the filling out at the seams.
- Transfer the pastelitos to the lined baking sheet, spaced apart.
- Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle each one with a pinch of white sugar.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 to 30 minutes, until deep golden. The pastry should puff and separate into layers. Receta Cubana pulls hers at 20 minutes; NydiasMiamiKitchen bakes hers 30 at the same temperature. Start checking at 20, since ovens differ.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. The filling is molten straight out of the oven and needs a few minutes before it’s safe to eat.
Nutrition
These numbers are estimated from the ingredient list, based on six pastelitos to a batch and one pastelito per serving. They’re large pastries, and the numbers reflect that honestly instead of rounding down.
- Calories: 565 kcal
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 24 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 270 mg
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Pastelitos de Guayaba
Pastelitos are best the day they’re baked, while the pastry is still crisp. At room temperature, they’ll hold for up to 2 days in a loosely covered container. A sealed airtight box traps steam and softens the crust instead of protecting it. Refresh a day-old pastelito in a 350°F (180°C) oven or an air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes. Skip the microwave, which turns the pastry limp.
To freeze them unbaked, assemble, seal, and vent the pastelitos as usual. Freeze them on a tray until firm, then bag them. Bake straight from frozen at the same temperature, adding about 5 minutes to the bake time. Brush on the egg wash just before they go in, not before freezing.
Refrigerating baked pastelitos is the worst option of the three: the pastry goes leathery in the cold. If that’s the only option available, reheat in a hot oven rather than a microwave.
This is ordinary kitchen practice, not a technique demonstrated by any of the four cooks in this research.
Equipment
Baking sheet, parchment paper, rolling pin, sharp knife or pizza cutter, cutting board, a small bowl for the egg wash, pastry brush, wire cooling rack.
Tips and Variations
- The whole-sheet method with a pizza cutter. Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara lays her guava and cheese out across one whole sheet. She covers the lot with a second sheet, then cuts the pastelitos apart with a pizza cutter. Running the wheel down the empty lanes between the fillings lets the pieces separate cleanly instead of fusing in the oven (source). It’s the fastest route to a full tray.
- The hot-and-fast oven. Anitas Delights bakes hers at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, and hers came out at 18 (source). The honest trade-off: Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara baked at the same temperature for a full 25 minutes. She got a crisp crust, but the filling never fully melted, and said she’d go lower and longer next time (source).
- Triangles from a single piece of dough. Receta Cubana folds one square of dough over the filling instead of sandwiching two squares together. It uses less pastry per piece and is the fastest shape to assemble. Seal and vent it the same way as the sandwiched version (source).
- Party size. NydiasMiamiKitchen notes that cutting the pieces smaller works well for a gathering. Twelve smaller pastelitos come out of the same box that makes six regular ones (source).
- Guava alone. Receta Cubana fills some of hers with guava only, and Anitas Delights makes hers that way throughout. Cheese is not required.
- Baked, not fried. No cook in this research fries these, so this post skips a fried variation.
None of this borrows from a Belizean pantry: this is a Cuban pastry with its own rules. Readers who come to BNP for Caribbean dessert coverage might also want a small sweet pastry sold out of the case at a shop counter in Belize or another Caribbean dessert with a short shopping list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between guava paste and guava jam in pastelitos?
Receta Cubana settles this one directly. Her words: “si puedes usar mermelada de guayaba, mi recomendación es que no lo hagas.” In English, yes, you could use guava jam, but her recommendation is that you don’t. Guava jam is too liquid, and it runs out of every edge of the pastry as it bakes. Guava paste is a Hispanic American confection made by simmering guava pulp with sugar for hours, then cooling it into a firm block you slice (source). That firmness is exactly what a sealed pastry needs.
Can you use frozen puff pastry for pastelitos de guayaba?
Yes, and every cook in this research buys the pastry rather than making it. Thaw a frozen sheet completely before you touch it; that takes about 40 minutes on the counter. Pastry that’s still cold in the middle cracks when you unfold it. Refrigerated sheets need no thaw at all, since they’re already workable straight from the package. A standard US box holds two sheets and weighs about 490 g, close enough to Receta Cubana’s 500 g that no adjustment is needed.
Why did my pastelitos leak guava out of the sides?
Three likely reasons, all documented in this research. You used jam instead of paste, and it ran out as it baked. The edges weren’t sealed with beaten egg before the top went on, something NydiasMiamiKitchen and Receta Cubana both treat as essential, not optional. Or no vents were cut into the top, so steam built up with nowhere to go and pushed the filling out at the seams. Fix all three and the leak stops.
What cheese goes in pastelitos de guayaba?
Either cream cheese or queso blanco, and neither is more correct. Receta Cubana prefers queso blanco and calls the pairing settled: “Es la combinación perfecta a la que estamos acostumbrados los cubanos y créanme que sabe de maravilla. Nada lo supera.” In English, it’s the perfect combination Cubans are used to, and it tastes wonderful. Nothing beats it (source). NydiasMiamiKitchen and Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara both use cream cheese instead. Cheese is optional entirely; some cooks fill theirs with guava alone.
How long do you bake pastelitos de guayaba and at what temperature?
350°F (180°C) for 20 to 30 minutes, until deep golden. Receta Cubana pulls hers at 20 minutes; NydiasMiamiKitchen bakes hers 30 minutes at the same temperature. Start checking at 20, since ovens vary. Cafe & Chaos with Yaumara tried 400°F for 25 minutes and got a crisp, flaky crust, but the filling never fully melted. She said afterward she’d go lower and longer next time. That result is the honest reason this post doesn’t recommend a hotter oven as the default.
Can you freeze pastelitos de guayaba before baking them?
Yes. Assemble, seal the edges with egg, and cut the vents. Freeze the unbaked pastelitos on a tray until firm, then transfer them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen at the same 350°F (180°C), adding about 5 minutes to the bake time. Brush on the egg wash just before they go in, not before freezing. This is ordinary kitchen practice, not a technique demonstrated by any of the four cooks in this research.
Cutting chilled puff pastry into even rectangles wants a wide surface, not a small board crowded by two sheets. Maple also stays kinder to a knife edge than hard plastic does.
