Pastelitos de queso
Flaky, sugar-crusted puff pastry wrapped around sweet cream cheese—these iconic Cuban pastries taste just like the ones you’ll find in ventanitas (Cuban cafe windows in Miami).
Makes: 9 pastelitos
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30-35 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 lb cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, for sweetness)
Preparation
Sugar-crust the pastry: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. On a clean surface, spread 1½ cups sugar in a 5-inch-wide rectangle. Place the puff pastry on top, then cover with the remaining 1½ cups sugar. Roll out to a 24x14-inch rectangle, pressing sugar into the dough.
Cut & fill: Slice the pastry into 9 equal squares. Pipe or spoon 2-3 tbsp cream cheese diagonally onto each square (add vanilla if using). Fold one corner over to meet the opposite side, forming a triangle, then roll gently into a crescent log. Place seam-side down on baking sheets.
Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deeply caramelized and puffed. Let cool completely—the sugar shell will crisp as it cools.
Serve at room temperature with a cafecito for that Miami bakery experience.
Notes:
No piping bag? Use a ziplock with the corner snipped.
Too sweet? Reduce sugar to 2 cups total (1 cup below/1 cup on top).
