Guava Cheese Pop Tarts

The smell of guava always takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen in Miami, where she'd keep jars of guava paste tucked away in the pantry for special occasions. I remember being maybe eight years old, sitting on her counter watching her transform this brick-hard paste into something magical. When I first attempted to recreate that childhood magic in pop tart form, my kitchen became a glorious disaster of flour and sticky pink filling, but that first bite of warm, flaky pastry made every mess worth it.

Last summer, I made a batch for my roommate who had never tried guava anything in her entire life. She walked in from a run, grabbed one straight from the cooling rack, and literally stopped mid-chew with her eyes wide open. Now she asks for them every Sunday morning, and honestly, I've stopped pretending I mind making them.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: This creates the structure for your pastry and gives it that satisfying bite
• Cold unsalted butter: Keep it ice cold so you get those beautiful flaky layers we're after
• Ice-cold water: The temperature here matters as much as the amount
• Guava paste: This thick concentrated paste gives you an intense fruity punch that regular jam just cant match
• Cream cheese: The tangy creaminess balances the sweet guava perfectly
• Powdered sugar: Essential for both the filling and that glossy finish on top
• Milk: Adjust this to get your glaze to just the right pourable consistency

Instructions

Make the pastry dough:

Whisk your flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl, then work in that cold butter until you see coarse crumbs forming throughout the mixture.

Bring it together:

Drizzle in the ice water gradually, mixing until the dough just barely holds together when pressed, then divide it into two disks and wrap them up for a 30 minute chill.

Prep the fillings:

Beat your cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until you have a smooth spreadable mixture, and slice your guava paste into thin pieces if needed.

Roll and cut:

On a floured surface, roll one dough disk to about 1/8 inch thick and cut it into 8 rectangles that are roughly 3 by 4 inches each.

Fill them up:

Spoon about a teaspoon of guava and a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto half the rectangles, leaving a clean border around the edges.

Seal the deal:

Brush those edges with beaten egg, top with the remaining rectangles, press firmly to seal, and crimp with a fork like you mean it.

Chill again:

Pop the whole baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes because cold pastry bakes up so much flakier than room temperature dough.

Bake until golden:

Brush the tops with egg wash, prick them with a fork to vent steam, and bake at 375°F for 22 to 25 minutes until they're beautifully golden brown.

Make the glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar with milk and vanilla until smooth and pourable, adding a drop of food coloring if you want that pretty pink color.

Finish and serve:

Let the pop tarts cool completely before drizzling with glaze, and wait for it to set because patience makes everything taste better.

Save

My friend's daughter helped me make these once and insisted on making each one a different size, which somehow made them taste even better. There's something about imperfect handmade food that just hits different.

Make Ahead Magic

You can assemble the entire tray of pop tarts, freeze them unbaked, and then bake straight from frozen. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time and you've got fresh pastries on a weekday morning without any morning effort.

Filling Swaps

Sometimes I can't find guava paste and I've learned that thick strawberry jam works surprisingly well. Apricot preserves give you a different but equally lovely tartness that plays nicely with the cream cheese filling.

Storage Secrets

These keep beautifully for three days in an airtight container, though I've never personally tested that because they disappear within hours at my house. If you somehow have leftovers, they actually taste pretty amazing lightly toasted the next day.

• Warm them for 10 seconds in the microwave before eating
• The glaze will get tacky if stored, so it's best added the day you're serving
• Freeze unbaked pop tarts between layers of parchment for up to a month

Save

There's something deeply satisfying about biting into that first warm pop tart and tasting the combination of crispy pastry, tangy fruit, and sweet cream cheese. Make them for someone you love.

Questions & Answers

→ Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the pastry dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate. Let it soften slightly at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling out.

→ What's the best way to store these pastries?

Store completely cooled pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them unglazed for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and glaze before serving.

→ Can I use fresh guava instead of paste?

Fresh guava contains too much water for this filling. Guava paste or thick guava jam provides the concentrated sweetness and proper consistency needed to prevent soggy pastry.

→ Why do the edges need to be crimped?

Crimping with a fork serves two purposes: it creates a tight seal to prevent the filling from leaking during baking, and it adds a decorative edge that gives these pastries their classic appearance.

→ Can I bake these from frozen?

Absolutely. Bake frozen pop tarts at 375°F for an additional 5-7 minutes. No need to thaw first, but wait until they're completely cooled before applying the glaze.