These little rolled cookies, deditos de novia, are one of those recipes that feel like a warm memory on the tongue. Crisp, lightly buttery pastry wrapped around a sweet guava paste center, then coated in a dusting of powdered sugar while still warm. They travel well, look pretty on a platter, and vanish fast at gatherings.

They’re straightforward to make: a simple dough, a short roll, and a quick bake. The technique is forgiving if you follow the order of mixing and keep the dough thin and even. I’ll walk you through what to buy, how to roll them without leaking, and how to adapt them if you prefer a different flavor profile.

No fussing with complicated doughs or unusual tools. If you can measure, roll, and bake, you can make perfect deditos at home. Read on for the ingredients, the tested method, troubleshooting tips, and storage ideas so you can serve them fresh or keep a tin ready for unexpected guests.

What to Buy

Shop for a good-quality guava paste — it’s the star of the filling. Fresh guava preserves vary; the firm guava paste (known as pasta de guayaba) holds its shape and makes rolling reliable. Buy real salted butter for flavor; the small amount of salt helps balance the sweetness.

Keep the baking staples simple: all-purpose flour, a little baking powder, milk, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla or almond extract. If you don’t have parchment, a light greasing of the sheet will work, but parchment makes removal and cleanup easier.

Ingredients

2 cup all-purpose flour — the body of the dough; extra flour for dusting prevents sticking while rolling.
¾ teaspoon baking powder — gives a gentle lift so the biscuit isn’t too dense.
½ cup milk (whole or skim) — hydrates the dough; whole milk makes a richer dough, skim works fine too.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or almond extract — flavoring; almond extract gives a classic Latin touch if you prefer.
½ cup salted butter, at room temperature — for tenderness and flavor; room temperature butter creams easily with the sugar.
3 tablespoons brown sugar — sweetens and adds a subtle molasses note.
½ cup guava paste — the filling; choose a firm paste that’s easy to portion and roll.
1 cup powdered white sugar — for coating while the biscuits are hot; creates the characteristic snow-dusted finish.

Method: Deditos de Novia (Sugar-Coated Guava Biscuits)

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups all-purpose flour and 3/4 teaspoon baking powder. Set this dry mixture aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla (or almond) extract. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the 1/2 cup room-temperature salted butter and 3 tablespoons brown sugar with a hand mixer or by hand until the mixture is pale and light in color, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the dry mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed butter in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (flour, milk, flour, milk). Mix after each addition just until incorporated; scrape the bowl as needed. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with extra flour. Knead very briefly to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on the floured surface until it is thin and even (about 1/8 inch / 3 mm thick). Re-dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Cut the rolled dough into 4″ x 4″ (10 cm x 10 cm) squares.
Place about 1 teaspoon of the 1/2 cup guava paste near one edge of each square. Roll the square up from that edge toward the opposite edge, forming a finger-shaped roll; pinch the seam and the ends to seal so the filling does not leak.
Place the sealed rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. While the rolls are still hot, roll each one in the 1 cup powdered white sugar to coat. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.
Store cooled biscuits in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Why You’ll Keep Making It

These biscuits are deceptively simple but endlessly satisfying. The short, tender pastry and the concentrated guava filling create a contrast that feels both nostalgic and elegant. They travel well and don’t need last-minute assembly, so they’re ideal for potlucks, picnic boxes, afternoon tea, and gift tins.

The technique teaches good pastry basics: creaming butter and sugar, alternating wet and dry additions, and keeping the dough thin for a delicate snap. Once you’ve rolled a few, the process becomes quick and almost meditative.

International Equivalents

Many cultures have a similar concept: a small filled pastry or biscuit wrapped around a sweet paste. In Latin America, guava-filled pastries are common (pastelitos, empanadas de guayaba). In Portugal and Brazil, guava paste is often paired with cream cheese in pastries (Romeo and Juliet). Think of these as a biscuit cousin to those filled pastries — the form is local, but the idea of fruit paste wrapped in pastry is universal.

Cook’s Kit

Rolling pin — to roll the dough evenly to about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
Baking sheet and parchment paper — for easy release and cleaner baking.
Wire rack — to cool biscuits and allow the powdered sugar to set without becoming soggy.
Sharp knife or pastry cutter — to make 4″ x 4″ squares cleanly.
Small spoon or melon baller — to portion about 1 teaspoon of guava paste per square.

Avoid These Mistakes

Overmixing the Dough

Follow the alternating addition instructions and mix just until incorporated. Overmixing develops gluten and will make the biscuits tough rather than tender.

Rolling Too Thick or Uneven

If the dough is thicker than 1/8 inch, the biscuit will be doughy and won’t crisp. Roll thin and even; a bench scraper or ruler can help keep edges uniform.

Filling Placement and Sealing

Place the guava paste near the edge and roll toward the opposite side, then pinch the seam and ends firmly. If the seam is loose, filling can leak during baking — and the powdered sugar won’t stick properly.

Coating When Cold

Roll the hot biscuits in powdered sugar immediately after baking while they’re still hot; the heat helps the sugar adhere and melt slightly for a pretty, even coating. If you wait until they’re cold, the sugar won’t stick as well.

Tailor It to Your Diet

Want to tweak the recipe for dietary needs? Keep the base method and ingredient amounts the same, but consider these options:

For dairy-free: use a plant-based milk and a dairy-free stick butter substitute measured to equal 1/2 cup. Texture will vary slightly; stick margarine works best if you can find a block-style option.
For lower-sugar: the filling and powdered sugar define the sweetness here. You can reduce the brown sugar in the dough by up to half without affecting structure much, but don’t omit the powdered sugar coating entirely if you want the classic finish.
Flavor swap: use almond extract for the 1 teaspoon in place of vanilla for a more traditional Latin flavor profile.

Recipe Notes & Chef’s Commentary

Room-temperature butter is non-negotiable for easy creaming with the brown sugar. If your butter is too cold, the creaming step won’t incorporate air and the dough will feel dense. If it’s too soft or melted, the dough becomes greasy and harder to roll.

The guava paste should be firm. If your paste is very hard, briefly microwave small portions (5–7 seconds) to make it pliable enough to shape into teaspoon-sized portions. If it’s too soft or syrupy, chilling it in the fridge makes it easier to work with.

I like rolling the biscuits seam-side down directly on the baking sheet. It helps them keep their shape. Give them an inch or so of space so the heat circulates and the bottoms get lightly golden rather than soggy.

Meal Prep & Storage Notes

You can prepare these biscuits ahead in stages:

Make the dough up to the point of rolling, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring it back to cool-but-pliable before rolling.
Roll and fill, then freeze the unbaked rolls on a tray until firm; transfer to a freezer container and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Once baked and cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (as the original directions state). The powdered sugar coating helps keep them looking fresh, but humidity will soften the exterior over time.

For longer storage, freeze cooled biscuits in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a sealed container with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature; the texture will be closest to fresh if reheated briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes.

Handy Q&A

Can I use jam instead of guava paste?
You can, but jam is looser. If using jam, reduce the quantity slightly and chill it to reduce the risk of leaking. Guava paste is preferred for its firmness.

My dough cracks when I roll it — what went wrong?
If the dough cracks it may be too dry or cold. Let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes, then knead gently with a sprinkle of milk or a touch more butter if needed. Work quickly to avoid overly softening the butter.

Why is the powdered sugar melting?
When you roll the cookies in powdered sugar while still hot, the surface will pick up the sugar and create a light glaze. If it melts too much and becomes sticky, the oven was likely too hot or the biscuits were left on the tray too long; transfer them to a wire rack immediately after coating.

Ready to Cook?

Set your oven to 300°F (150°C) and gather your ingredients and tools. Follow the method steps in order, pay attention to dough thickness and seam sealing, and you’ll have a tray of tender, guava-filled deditos in under an hour. Pack a few in a tin once cooled — they make a lovely, shareable treat.

Have questions while you bake? Drop a note in the comments or bookmark the page for reference. These biscuits reward a little patience and attention, and once you master the roll you’ll find yourself making them again and again.