Vegan Cuban -Puerto Rican Puff Pastries (pastelillos)
I wanted to take two Caribbean favorites — the pastelito de guayaba and the Puerto Rican quesito — and bring them together with my own vegan twist.Flaky puff pastry, sweet guava, creamy vegan cream cheese and fresh strawberries all baked together into one little pastelillo.
Servings
12 squares
Cooking Time
2 hrs + 2 hrs of resting dough
Vegan Guava and Cheese Puff Pastry (Pastelillos)
By: Naysha Rivera
I wanted to take two Caribbean favorites — the pastelito de guayaba and the Puerto Rican quesito — and bring them together with my own vegan twist.Flaky puff pastry, sweet guava, creamy vegan cream cheese and fresh strawberries all baked together into one little pastelillo.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 6 oz vegan cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 2/3 TBSP coconut sugar (to sprinkle on top)
- 4–6 oz guava paste, sliced into thin strips
- ½ cup strawberries finely chopped
- (1 strawberry thinly sliced per pastry for garnish)
- 1 package vegan puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 1 TBSP coconut oil (to rush top of pastries with) (can sub for more butter)
Puffy Pastry Dough
- ⅔ cup vegan butter (not unsalted) – (5 oz) stick form NOT spreadable, frozen
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3½ tablespoons vegan butter, softened
- ½ cup water, plus more if needed, lukewarm
Notes:
Pastelillos vs Quests? : both flaky puff pastry, but they come from slightly different Caribbean traditions. Pastelitos de guayaba are especially associated with Cuban and broader Caribbean bakeries and are traditionally filled with guava paste, while quesitos are an iconic Puerto Rican bakery staple made with sweetened cream cheese and often finished with a sugary glaze. This recipe is my way of bringing those two familiar flavors together while keeping it completely vegan.
Store Bought Dough :If in a quick pinch you can use store bought puff pastry (vegan of course) but if not I have the recipe included as well
Don’t overfill : A little goes a long way – don’t overfill pastries or they will explode when baking
Step by Step Instructions
Cream Cheese Filling:
In a small bowl mix the softened vegan cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom until thoroughly mixed
Prepare your pastry: Lightly flour your work surface and gently roll the puff pastry out and cut into approximately 4–5 inch squares
Fill the pastries: Add a small spoonful of the vegan cream cheese mixture to the center of each square. Top with a strip or two of guava paste and a few thin slices of strawberry. Be careful not to overfill them, you want enough filling to get that perfect bite without everything spilling out while baking
Fold: Fold and roll the pastry over depending on the shape you want. (I made mines into a small log shape) (Traditionally you would fold the pastry over to create a triangle or fold the corners toward the center and gently press the edges together with your fingers then use a fork to seal the edges.)
Glaze: Brush the tops lightly with coconut oil (or more butter) and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
Bake: Place the pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and crisp. (follow directions on packaging if store bought)
Cool & serve: Allow them to cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving. The filling will be extremely hot straight from the oven. Serve warm with a cafecito for the full experience.
FOR PUFF PASTRY (if making from scratch)
Butter Prep: Grab a box grater and using the largest side, shred the frozen vegan butter onto a plate. You can also use a food processor with a shredder attachment.
⅔ cup vegan butter (not unsalted) Place shreds in the freezer while you make the dough.
Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the softened vegan butter, mixing with a fork until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ,½ teaspoon salt ,3½ tablespoons vegan butter
Gradually stir in the water and continue mixing until all the flour comes together.
Use your hands at this point to help form the dough. It will look dry at first but keep pressing the dough together until the bowl looks fairly clean. Only add more water if necessary.
Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough with your hands, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until it is soft and smooth. Shape into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
