Guava and Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
As a native Angeleno, I grew up with cakes and goods from Porto’s. Every birthday party or holiday, we needed to go to Porto’s and get some pastelitos, papas rellenas, bolillos and of course, cake. I eventually went on to work at the bakery in Burbank for about two years. That’s where I learned how to decorate cakes. I loved working there. I say all this to say that because of all that, I always have a soft spot for Porto’s Bakery. Every time, I see a guava and cheese pastelito, I instantly think of my childhood. That’s why I’m bringing you these Guava and Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. It’s like the classic Cuban pastry but with a fun new twist. If you’re looking for some other Cuban treats, then these papas rellenas and meat pies are great as well!
As an FYI, you can easily make these cinnamon rolls the night before and bake off the morning you plan on serving them. Just assemble the rolls up until the second rise. Then cover and place in the fridge until ready to bake. Then the day of, remove from the fridge and allow to rise at room temperature. Then bake off as directed.
Guava and Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Mixer
- Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- 9×13-inch baking pan
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk warmed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Guava Filling:
- 8 ounces guava paste
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Guava Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup guava filling (from above)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- To make the dough, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warmed milk, egg yolk, vanilla and butter. Attach the dough hook and knead on low until the dough comes together. Raise the speed to high and knead until smooth and the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- To make the guava filling, combine the guava paste, hot water, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom until smooth and spreadable. If the mixture is hard to mix, you can add a tablespoon or two more of hot water. Or you can also heat in the microwave for short 30 second bursts until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup of this mixture for the frosting and set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread out the cream cheese filling in an even layer. Top with the guava filling and spread out evenly.
- Roll the dough, lengthwise, into a tight log and pinch the seam together to seal. Cut into 12 even slices, using a piece of unflavored dental floss. This makes it super easy to slice! Arrange onto a 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Once the rolls have risen, uncover and bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- For the glaze, in a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and the reserved 1/4 cup guava filling. Add as much of the milk as needed to create a smooth spreadable glaze. Spread this onto the warm rolls, serve and enjoy!
