Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Printable)

Flaky pastry filled with guava jam and cream cheese, topped with vanilla glaze.

# 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
02 - Gradually add ice-cold water to the flour mixture, stirring gently just until the dough comes together. Divide the 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 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 of guava paste and 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
06 - Brush the edges of the filled rectangles with beaten egg. Top each with a remaining rectangle and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork to create a decorative seal.
07 - Transfer the sealed pop tarts to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
08 - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops of the pop tarts with egg wash and prick the tops with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
10 - In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Add pink or red food coloring if desired. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled pop tarts and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Homemade pastry tastes buttery and flaky in a way that reminds you why you bake in the first place.
  • The guava-and-cheese filling strikes that perfect balance between tart and sweet, unexpected enough to feel special but familiar enough to want seconds.
  • These come together faster than you'd think, making them ideal for impressing people without spending your whole morning in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The butter has to stay cold throughout; if your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and tools beforehand, and don't hesitate to pop the dough back in the fridge if it starts feeling soft.
  • Don't skip the second chill before baking—it's the difference between pop tarts that hold their shape and ones that spread into flat disks.
  • Fill sparingly; it's tempting to load them up, but too much filling will burst through the pastry edges and make a mess of your baking sheet.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of ice water nearby while making the dough and dip your fingers in it occasionally to keep everything cold—this tiny trick makes a noticeable difference in your pastry texture.
  • If you notice the edges browning too quickly while baking, loosely tent the pop tarts with foil for the last few minutes so the insides catch up to the outside.
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