Prep time: 15-45 min.  | Cook time: 8 min.  |  Servings: 16

These flaky, bite-size guava treats are a traditional dish for my Puerto Rican family. They are called pastelitos de guayaba. Every year, when my family gets together for the holidays, they always ask me to make these as part of our main dessert dishes (which I’m perfectly fine with, because I love guava and these are gluten free).

The guava paste has a similar taste to strawberry or raspberry jam, and this puff pastry filling can be interchangeable with just about any fruit flavor. This recipe calls for cream cheese, which helps balance the decadent guava flavor, but it’s optional.

These sweet empanada-style hand pies can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or dessert with a cup of coffee or tea.

IngredientS

• 16 oz package of gluten-free pie crust mix

• 12 oz cold butter

• 6-8 oz ice water

• 1 package of cream cheese (optional)

• 1-21 oz tin of guava paste

• 1/4 cup of gluten-free flour

• 1 egg

• 1/4-1/2 cup of confectioners sugar

Tools

• rolling pin

• 3-inch circle cutter

• pastry brush

• small food grade painting brush

• lame (bakers blade)

Instructions

1. Head over to Bob Mills  for the gluten-free puff pastry dough instructions with details on how to create this gluten-free dough. This recipe can also be used with store-bought puff pastry sheets.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Remove puff pastry dough from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

4. Lightly dust surface with flour, and roll out puff pastry with light pressure, removing any creases from the dough.

5. Dip your circle cutter in flour (this helps to make clean cuts). Then, cut out circles and place them on the prepared baking sheets.

6. Add guava paste and chunks of cream cheese onto each circle.

7. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Then, with the small brush, coat the edges of the dough with the egg wash - this is the glue that will seal the pastry.

8. Fold pastry circles in half and seal the edges of the dough to create hand pies.

9. Use a lame or sharp knife to score the center of the hand pies, otherwise known as making shallow cuts at the surface of the pastry.

   • Side Note: Scoring allows steam to escape from the pastry during baking instead of it filling the pastry and bursting out those pretty seams you worked so hard to keep together. Plus, the presentation looks better when you have neat edges instead of messy and soggy desserts.

10. Line the hand pies on the baking sheet with 1 inch of space in between each pie. Brush egg wash over hand pies.

11. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

12. Once removed from the oven, dust hand pies with confectioners sugar, and enjoy.

A visual guide, with photos by Cayla Torres