Pastelillos de Guayaba – Puerto Rican Guava Pastry

From the many Latin American pastries I’ve tried, Puerto Rican Pastelillos de Guayaba are my favorite. These deliciously-flakey guava pastries are found all throughout the island and are freshly baked with a sweet guava paste center and sprinkled with a layer of powdered sugar. Not only are they easy to make, they are addicting and super nostalgic.

Puerto Rican Style Guava Pastries

You may be wondering what makes these guava pastries different from the many varieties in Latin America. Well, in Puerto Rico, Pastelillos de Guayaba have a bit more height and airiness because when traditionally prepared they have 3 layers of puff pastry! That’s right – this guava pastry is double stuffed. My recipe features 2 layers of moist guava paste in the center.

Nata Tip: Authentic Pastelillos de Guayaba are prepared with 3 layers of puff pastry and 2 layers of filling for maximum flakiness and flavor.

Unlike the Cuban version of guava pastries that are brushed/soaked in a sweet simple syrup, this Puerto Rican-style guava pastry is dusted in a white cloud of powdered sugar. They remind me a bit of the sweet pastries you find at local carnivals and festivals.

For a more balanced, savory version, some Pastelillos de Guayaba recipes include a cream cheese filling to accompany the sweet guava center.

Ingredients

This guava pastry recipe has a simple ingredient list. It starts with:

• Guava paste (I prefer the Iberia brand)
• Store-bought, frozen puff pastry (or homemade puff pastry)
• Cream cheese (optional)
• Powdered sugar

Pastelillos de Guayaba – Puerto Rican Guava Pastry

These authentic Puerto Rican Pastelillos de Guayaba are delicious, flakey and baked with 3 layers of puff pastry filled with 2 layers of sweet guava paste and sprinkled with powdered sugar. For a more subtle sweetness, try a cream cheese and guava filling.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Course Anything Sweet, Puerto Rican Food, Street Food

Cuisine Puerto Rican Cuisine

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 box of of frozen puff pastry dough 2 sheets inside
• 7 oz of guava paste
• 1 large egg yolk for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash
• Powdered sugar to taste
• All purpose flour for dusting

Instructions

 

Prepare the Pastry

• Using a floured rolling pin, roll out 2 sheets of thawed puff pastry. (Thaw for 1-2 hours before use.)
• Once desired thinness, with a knife or pastry cutter slice 3 even vertical strips into each puff pastry sheet. You should have 6 strips.
• Then cut each strip into 3 pieces. You should be left with 18 squares.

Assembly & Bake the Pastelillos

• Cut 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes of guava paste.
• Place guava cubes in the center of your puff pastry squares.
• Combine 1 egg yolk and water to create an egg wash. Brush along the edges of the square.
• Place a second puff pastry square on top and gently press the 2 squares together.
• For a traditional pastelillo (double decker style), place another guava cube on top the second square and cover with a third puff pastry square.
• Brush completed pastelillos with remaining egg wash.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes in a 400 degree (F) oven.
• Remove and cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle powdered sugar if desired.

Video

Notes

This recipe uses store-bought puff pastry but can also be adapted to use homemade puff pastry.

Keyword guava, puerto rican pastelillos de guayaba