Torticas de Guayaba (Printer-friendly)

Buttery vanilla or chocolate thumbprint cookies with sweet-tangy guava filling. A classic Cuban delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg yolk
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Chocolate Variation (optional)

07 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

→ Filling

08 - 1/2 cup guava jam or paste, softened

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined.
04 - Gradually mix in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. For chocolate variation, replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder and blend thoroughly.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie.
07 - Fill each indentation with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of guava jam or softened guava paste.
08 - Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are just golden.
09 - Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in under an hour with zero fussy techniques or special equipment required.
  • The guava-butter combination tastes restaurant-quality but feels homemade in the best way possible.
  • They stay fresh for days in an airtight container, making them perfect for meal prep or unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Butter temperature matters more than you think—if it's cold, your cookies won't cream properly and will turn out dense instead of tender and crumbly.
  • The moment you see the edges turn golden is when you pull them out; overbaked cookies lose their delicate texture and the guava jam can burn at the edges.
  • Guava paste thickness is everything—too thick and it won't fill evenly, too thin and it leaks everywhere, so soften it slightly before filling.
03 -
  • Chill the guava paste in the refrigerator for a few minutes before filling so it holds its shape better and doesn't melt into the hot cookies.
  • If you're bringing these somewhere and worried about transport, let them cool completely and pack them in a sturdy container with parchment between layers.
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