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    Posted In: Breakfast, Desserts
    July 27, 2021 — by Julie — Leave a Comment

    Home » Delish » Breakfast » Quesitos (Cream Cheese Pastries)

    Quesitos (Cream Cheese Pastries)

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    Quesitos simply means little cheese. Puerto Rican cream cheese-filled pastries served for breakfast or dessert. Made with just 4 ingredients in under 20 minutes!

    Puerto Rican quesitos up close.

    The best part about this recipe is that it’s super easy to make and you can make them last minute! It feeds a crowd and it’s way more economical to make at home than purchasing it at a bakery. These remind me of my pastelitos de guayaba y queso. Those are Cuban-style pastries made with guava and cream cheese but very similar to these. Quesitos are crispy, flaky, and coated with simple syrup and granulated sugar! Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.

    Ingredient Notes

    Puff Pastry – Although I used store-bought pastry, feel free to use homemade instead. Store-bought puff pastry is really good and a real-time saver.

    Cream Cheese – Make sure to use softened cream cheese. If you’re not a fan, use mascarpone cheese instead. It has a very similar and smooth texture.

    4 ingredients for quesitos.

    How To Make Quesitos

    1. Begin by preheating oven and preparing the simple syrup. To make the simple syrup simply add equal parts sugar and water to a saucepan and cook until the sugar dissolves.
    2. Mix the sugar and softened cream cheese.
    3. Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 9 equal squares.
    4. Add the cream cheese mixture to each square and brush the sides with egg wash. Fold one pastry corner and the opposite corner towards the middle of the square. Pinch tightly. 
    5. Brush the pastries with egg wash and top them off with granulated sugar.
    6. Bake for 15 minutes. Brush with the simple syrup and sprinkle more granulated sugar on top.
    nine quesitos on a baking sheet.

    Top Tips

    • Make the simple syrup before preparing the pastries!
    • Thaw the puff pastry for 20 minutes before rolling it out.
    • Use good quality cream cheese for the best results.
    • Add plenty of simple syrup and granulated sugar once they come out of the oven. The puff pastry isn’t sweet so it needs that extra sugar. 
    • Enjoy the quesitos while they’re still warm.

    More Puerto Rican Recipes

    • Coquito Cake – A vanilla sponge cake soaked with a Puerto Rican beverage.
    • Garbanzos Guisados – Stewed chickpeas simmered with spices, garlic, and onions.
    • Pollo Guisado – Bone-in Puerto Rican chicken stew.
    • Ensalada de Coditos – creamy macaroni salad
    baked cream cheese filled pastries on a baking sheet.

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    Puerto Rican quesitos up close.

    Quesitos

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: Puerto Rican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 286kcal
    Author: Julie Maestre
    Quesitos simply means little cheese. Puerto Rican cream cheese-filled pastries served for breakfast or dessert. Made with just 4 ingredients in under 20 minutes!

    Ingredients

    • 1 puff pastry sheet
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 1/4 cup white sugar

    Egg Wash

    • 1 egg
    • 2 tsp water

    Simple Syrup

    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/4 cup water

    Topping

    • 1-2 tbsp white sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, thaw the puff pastry, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
    • To make the simple syrup, add equal parts of sugar and water to a saucepan and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove it from the stove and set it aside. 
    • In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Mix well. 
    • Place the puff pastry sheet on top of a floured work surface and cut the sheet into 9 squares. 
    • Add about 1 tbsp of the cream cheese filling to each square. Brush the corners with egg wash. 
    • Fold one pastry corner and the opposite corner towards the middle of the square. Pinch tightly. 
    • Sprinkle some granulated sugar on each pastry and then bake for 15 minutes. Once the pastries come out of the oven, brush them with simple syrup. 

    Notes

    Add plenty of granulated sugar once they come out of the oven. The puff pastry isn’t sweet so it needs that extra sugar. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedbyjulie or tag #cookedbyjulie!

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    Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts

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    Hi, I'm Julie! I’m extremely fortunate to make a living doing what I truly love – creating and sharing my favorite “can’t live without” recipes with readers from all over the world.

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