Torticas de Guayaba Cuban Cookies (Printable)

Buttery Cuban thumbprint cookies with vanilla base and sweet-tangy guava filling

# 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 mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms. For chocolate variation, replace 2 tablespoons 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 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown.
09 - Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough comes together in minutes, making these feel fancy without the fuss.
  • That moment when warm guava jam meets buttery cookie—pure happiness on a plate.
  • They disappear faster than you can bake them, which is both a blessing and a problem.
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough after you add flour will make these tough and dense instead of delicate—mix just until combined and trust the process.
  • If your guava paste breaks through the bottom of the cookie during baking, it means your indent was too deep—aim for shallow thumbprints next time.
  • Cold dough is your friend if you have time; chilling for 15 minutes makes shaping easier and prevents spreading in the oven.
03 -
  • Room-temperature butter truly matters—cold butter won't cream properly and warm butter creates greasy cookies that spread too much.
  • If your thumbprint edges look rough or cracked, dip your thumb in a little water before making the indent—it seals the edges.
  • Make the indents deeper than feels comfortable because they'll shallow out slightly during baking as the dough rises.
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