Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Printable)

Flaky pastry layered with sweet guava jam and creamy cheese, finished with a glossy glaze for a delicious treat.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - Gradually add ice water, mixing just until dough comes together. Divide dough in half, flatten each 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 surface, roll out one dough disk to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 8 rectangles, each measuring approximately 3 by 4 inches.
05 - Place 1 teaspoon guava paste and 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edges with beaten egg. Top each with a remaining rectangle and press edges firmly to seal. Crimp edges with a fork for decorative finish.
06 - Transfer assembled pop tarts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
07 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush tops of pop tarts with egg wash. Prick tops with a fork to allow steam to vent during baking.
08 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on baking sheet.
09 - Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable consistency. Add pink or red food coloring if desired for enhanced visual appeal.
10 - Drizzle or spread glaze over completely cooled pop tarts. Allow glaze to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Homemade pastry tastes infinitely better than the boxed version, with a real butter flake that melts on your tongue.
  • That sweet-tart guava and creamy cheese combo is unexpectedly sophisticated for something you can grab with your coffee.
02 -
  • If your pastry dough feels warm or greasy instead of crumbly, your butter warmed up too much and you'll lose the flakiness—start over with cold ingredients and you'll understand the difference immediately.
  • Don't skip the second chill before baking; it prevents the pastry from shrinking dramatically in the oven and keeps your rectangles looking like actual pop tarts instead of lumpy blobs.
03 -
  • Keep your pastry ingredients cold by working quickly and not overworking the dough—nerves are normal, but hesitation is your enemy here.
  • If you have a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment on low speed to cut in the butter, which is faster than doing it by hand and harder to mess up than you'd think.
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