Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Printable)

Flaky pastry pockets with sweet guava and creamy cheese filling, topped with vanilla glaze.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 oz 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 mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated 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 crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
02 - Gradually add ice-cold water while mixing gently with a fork just until the dough comes together without overworking. Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until the filling is smooth and well combined.
04 - On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one dough disk to approximately 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough into 8 rectangles measuring approximately 3 by 4 inches each.
05 - Place 1 teaspoon of guava paste and 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a clear border around all edges.
06 - Brush the edges of the filling-topped rectangles with beaten egg wash. Top each with a remaining rectangle and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp the sealed edges decoratively using a fork.
07 - Transfer the assembled pop tarts to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to help maintain their shape during baking.
08 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the tops of the chilled pop tarts with additional egg wash and prick the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow the pop tarts to cool completely on the baking sheet before glazing.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the glaze reaches a smooth, pourable consistency. Add pink or red food coloring if desired. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the completely cooled pop tarts and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent enough for dessert but socially acceptable to eat for breakfast.
  • The guava and cream cheese combination is unexpected in the best way, hitting both sweet and tangy notes.
  • Making them from scratch means you control the flakiness and quality in every single bite.
02 -
  • Warm butter will make your pastry greasy and dense instead of flaky—this is the mistake that taught me patience more than any cooking class ever could.
  • Don't overmix your dough after adding water or you'll develop gluten and end up with something closer to pizza dough than pastry, so stop mixing the moment it comes together.
  • The egg wash needs to go on right before baking, not before chilling, because it'll dry out and you'll lose that gorgeous shine that makes these look bakery-quality.
03 -
  • If you want extra crunch and sweetness, sprinkle coarse sugar over the egg-washed tops before baking—it catches the heat and creates these beautiful crystalline edges.
  • A bench scraper makes rolling out dough easier than you'd think, and prevents the frustration of dough sticking to your surface mid-roll.
  • If your filling starts leaking during baking, it means your seal wasn't tight enough—press harder next time and make sure there's no moisture on the dough edges.
Go Back