Quesitos ~ Vegan (Puerto Rican Cream Cheese Pastry)

Quesitos ~ Vegan (Puerto Rican Cream Cheese Pastry)

vegan ~ dairy-free ~ egg-free

Makes: 12
Total Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Author/Credit: Jessica Williams/Vegan Rescue

Quesitos ~ Vegan (Puerto Rican Cream Cheese Pastry)

Sweet, Simple, Luxurious

My my my, here is another Puerto Rican dessert/pastry for you to try. So good! These Quesitos are delightfully vegan. Like Donuts or Danishes, Quesitos complement coffee or tea perfectly. These are so quick to make, about ten to fifteen minutes to prep and twenty minutes to bake. They also make a nice after dinner treat.

Quesitos are a popular dessert in Puerto Rican bakeries; they have such a nostalgic quality about them too. This treat has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. I certainly use Tofutti’s cream cheese in so many recipes, but I prefer Mikoyo’s for this recipe. Mikoyo’s has the perfect saltiness that really holds up to the sweetness, offering a perfect balance. This cream cheese also has a wonderfully fluffy texture. The soft texture of Miyoko’s takes this delicate pastry to the next level.
There are so many variations of Quesitos. Some have a glaze made with sugar or corn syrup. Others are topped with powdered sugar or honey. I know honey is a hot topic for vegans, but if you are a vegan who eats honey – be sure to buy your honey locally and raw.

The simplicity of this Puerto Rican cream cheese pastry is so satisfying.

Estilo Boricua ~ Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

1 (17.3 oz) Package Puff Pastry (contains 2 sheets)
1 (8oz container) Vegan Cream Cheese (I use Miyoko’s)
1/4 Cup Raw Cane Sugar
1/4 Cup Raw Honey/Agave (or Glaze-Corn Syrup/Sugar)

Directions:

-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

-Remove thawed puff pastry from wrapper onto a lightly floured surface or onto parchment paper. The package I use comes with two sheets (I use both in this recipe).

-Lightly flour pastry sheet and roll out into a thin sheet. I will typically do a few passes with the rolling pin to bring the thickness down about half.

-Cut the sheet into thirds, then cut each third into half. Makes six pieces per sheet. This recipe makes twelve in total.

-Towards the base of the cut pastry, add about a tablespoon of cream cheese lengthwise. Note: I’m using Miyoko’s cream cheese, which is a bit softer. Also, I typically score the cream cheese in the container to be sure I end up with even portions. If you are using a firmer cream cheese, you can turn out the container. Then, cut it into twelve even portions for the filling.

-Beside the cream cheese (towards the center of the cut pastry), add about one teaspoon of raw cane sugar lengthwise. -See pictures below.

-Fold up the base over top of the cream cheese/sugar and roll up, folding the sides along the way.

-Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

-Place rolled Quesitos on lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

-Allow Quesitos to cool for about 5-10 minutes. -Then add about a teaspoon of glaze to the top of each Quesito, whether using honey/agave or a sugar glaze.

-Enjoy!

The Quesitos should still be nice and warm.

Bad Bunny

Of course, I made these Vegan Quesitos before Bad Bunny dropped his new album – Debí Tirar Más Fotos. So, I had to come back and edit my post. In one of the videos, there is a scene with actor Jacobo Morales. He is in a Puerto Rican bakery wanting to buy Quesitos. The woman taking his order suggests, Vegan Quesitos. He later comments about the cheese being taken away from the Quesitos thus making them vegan. First, I will say Bad Bunny’s album is SO well done. It really touches the Puerto Rican soul. Also, each of the videos were brilliant. I understood the overall message completely.

I chuckled when I saw that scene, because I immediately thought of my father. That exact line from the video is definitely something he would say, lol. Papi obviously knows of my diet. So, there are times when I’m describing a dish to him, and he inquires trying to understand veganism. He would for sure ask me how my Quesitos are vegan. But I would explain to him – Papi, these have cheese… Vegan Cheese! Hehe. I really hope you try this super simple vegan recipe. You are guaranteed to taste the culture. Vegan and all!

This recipe is easy to follow. Check out the pictures or video for this recipe in the recipe card.

For more Puerto Rican recipes ~ Recetas Boricuas – try these:

Rellenos de Papa (Puerto Rican Potato Croquettes)!

Pastelillos ~ Vegan (Puerto Rican Meat/Cheese Turnovers)!

Limber (de Coco) ~ Puerto Rican Coconut Icy

Bacalaitos Fritos ~ Vegan (Puerto Rican “Cod fish” Fritters)!

Arroz con Maíz! Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn