Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Printable)

Flaky pastry pockets with sweet guava and creamy cheese filling

# What You Need:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
02 - Gradually add ice-cold water while mixing just until the dough comes together. Divide dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until the consistency is smooth and spreadable.
04 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one chilled 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 the cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
06 - Brush the borders of filled rectangles with beaten egg. Top each with a remaining rectangle and press the edges firmly to seal. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and secure the edges.
07 - Transfer the assembled pop tarts to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up the dough.
08 - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops of each pop tart with egg wash and prick the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow the pop tarts to cool completely on the baking sheet.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the glaze is smooth and pourable. Add food coloring if desired. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled pop tarts and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pastry is genuinely flaky because you're taking time to keep the butter cold, which means you get layers that shatter when you bite down.
  • Guava and cream cheese is a flavor combination that sounds unexpected but tastes like someone finally figured out the secret.
  • You can have these ready to eat in under an hour, and they're infinitely better than anything from a box.
02 -
  • If your butter warms up too much while you're making the dough, your pastry won't be flaky—keep everything cold and work quickly, and if it feels warm, pop the dough back in the fridge for five minutes.
  • Don't skip the crimping step or let the filling touch the edge, because once it does, the seal fails and you end up with leaking tarts that look deflated and sad.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of ice water next to you while making the dough so if your hands feel warm or the dough starts getting sticky, you can dip your fingers and keep everything cold.
  • The difference between a good pastry and a great one is often the temperature of your ingredients and the restraint not to overwork the dough—less touching, more flaking.
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