Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Print)

Flaky pastry pockets with sweet guava and creamy cheese filling, glazed to perfection.

# Components:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1/3 cup ice-cold water
06 - 1 large egg for egg wash

→ Filling

07 - 3/4 cup guava paste or thick guava jam
08 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
09 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pink or red food coloring, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - Gradually add ice water to the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together without overworking. Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.
04 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one dough disk to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 8 rectangles, each measuring approximately 3 by 4 inches.
05 - Place 1 teaspoon of guava paste and 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a border around all edges.
06 - Brush the edges of filled rectangles with beaten egg. Top each with a remaining rectangle and press edges firmly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork for a decorative finish.
07 - Transfer sealed pastries to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm the dough.
08 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops of each pop tart with egg wash and prick the surfaces with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Add food coloring if desired. Drizzle or spread the glaze over completely cooled pop tarts and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a fancy bakery creation but come together in your own kitchen without intimidation.
  • The guava and cream cheese filling is genuinely addictive—sweet, tart, and creamy all at once in every bite.
  • Once you nail the pastry, you'll have a blank canvas for endless filling combinations based on whatever fruit is calling to you.
02 -
  • The single biggest mistake is using warm butter or warm water—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned out dense instead of flaky, and it was because I didn't chill my ingredients properly.
  • Don't skip the second chill before baking; those 10 minutes make the difference between a pop tart that holds together beautifully and one that puffs awkwardly and leaks filling everywhere.
  • Fill generously but not greedily—too much filling will squeeze out the sides during baking and burn onto your pan, plus it makes sealing much harder.
03 -
  • A pastry blender or even two forks work better than your fingertips for distributing the butter because your hands warm it up too quickly and you lose those precious layers.
  • If you're nervous about sealing, wet your finger with water and run it along the pressed edge again before crisping with the fork—it creates an extra-secure seal that won't separate in the oven.
Back