Guyanese Cheese Pies (Mini Quiches)

Guyanese cheese pies are delicious mini quiches made with fluffy egg filling, encased in individual flaky, buttery golden brown pie crusts. These delicious mini cheese filled pastry cups are perfect for a make ahead breakfast or brunch!

Guyanese Cheese Pies

I used to make cheese pies in Home Economics class but this recipe was my first attempt as an adult so I had to do some research for a recipe. I tried the basic mini quiche recipes and even Googled some Guyanese cheese pie recipes, but none came close to what I consider the best cheese pie I’ve ever had, the cheese pie from Fogarty’s.

I’m not sure if there’s are still the best, but it was good when I was growing up in Guyana. It had a distinct flavor and after 3 tries I nailed it!

Why You’ll Love This Guyanese Cheese Pies Recipe

• Perfect Make-Ahead Meal: These freeze well so they are easy to reheat and enjoy later.
• Great for Gatherings: Whether you’re hosting a baby shower brunch or special dinner, this bite-sized treat is great served on a platter as a party appetizer.
• Customizable: Once you have this recipe down, feel free to add or omit ingredients based on your preferences.

Ingredients for Guyanese Cheese Pies

For this mini quiche recipe, you will need pastry dough and all the ingredients for your Guyanese Cheese Pie filling.

Short Crust Pastry Dough

• Flour: The base of the dough.
• Butter: Use very cold or frozen butter.
• Ice cold water: Cold water keeps the butter and dough cold to for a flaky pastry crust.

Mini Quiche Filling

• Heavy Cream or Whole Milk: You can use any milk you prefer, just know that if you use low-fat milk, the consistency of the egg filling will be thinner. Use a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream for a richer texture.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: A good sharp or extra sharp cheddar is the best choice for this recipe.
• Eggs: This is the main component of the filling. It adds protein and acts a binder for the other ingredients.
• Spicy brown mustard: I liked the rich flavor of mustard in these pies you can choose to add less mustard if you wish.
• Mini red bell pepper: Finely chop the peppers. Alternatively, use large bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• Scallions: Finely chopped (optional)
• Wiri wiri pepper: Finely chopped (optional, not included in image)
• Granulated garlic: For concentrated garlic flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Guyanese Cheese Pies

Make the Pastry Dough

In a mixing bowl combine the flour and salt, then grate the frozen butter into the flour. You can also add the frozen butter to a food processor with a shred attachment and grate it that way before adding it to the flour. Using a fork blend the butter with the flour. Then add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pinch the mixture together in order to form a soft dough. Do not knead.

Place in zip lock bags and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, use dough to make any Guyanese pastry combination.

This is the standard pastry dough used for most Guyanese pastries. It is also great for Guyanese Beef Patties, Pine Tarts and Cheese Rolls.

Prepare the Egg Filling

In a separate bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, eggs, mustard, pepper and granulated garlic (a four cup measuring cup works well for this). Whisk until completely mixed together. Then set aside.

Assemble the Guyanese Cheese Pies

When ready to bake, remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator, remove it from the ziplock bag and set on a floured surface. Beat the dough with the rolling pin to flatten then roll out until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Try to avoid rolling the dough with a back and forth motion or this will activate the gluten in the dough and decrease the flakiness.

Using a hand pie cutter, cut circles that are large enough to fit into a muffin tin. Then add the cut out dough to a grease a muffin tin

Next, fill each muffin cavity with shredded cheese and top it off with scallions and bell pepper, if using. Then pour the milk and egg mixture that you set aside earlier over top, until it covers the cheese. You can top off with a bit more shredded cheese if you like.

If you are not using peppers and scallion, add a bit more cheese to the pan then pour the egg and milk mixture over top.

Bake the Guyanese Cheese Pies

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the cheese pies for 25-30 minutes. Then remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Storage

Once they cool to room temperature, store the cheese pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, flash freeze them for at least 20 minutes then transfer them to a ziploc bag. They will keep in the freezer for up 2 months.

Reheat them in the oven at 350º F for about 5 minutes if refrigerated and 10 minutes if frozen.

Tips for the Best Cheese Pies / Mini Quiches

• Do not knead the dough.
• Be sure to let your pastry dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before working with it.
• Use high-quality cheese. The first time I made these pies, I used a cheap, pre-shredded mild cheddar cheese and it was terrible. The cheese didn’t melt and the pies tasted awful. This time I used an extra sharp Australian cheddar with a flavor similar to Anchor Cheddar. It was perfect.
• Over the years I switched to heavy cream instead of milk
• Add a bit of flour to the milk and eggs mixtures. Some bakeries add a few tablespoons of flour to the milk and egg mixture so that the custard is a bit more sturdy.

Recipe Variations

• Meat: Consider adding precooked meat such as diced ham, sausage crumbles, or bacon bits similar to traditional quiches.
• Veggies: For some added nutrients, include finely chopped spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, or kale.
• Cheese: Not a fan of cheddar cheese? Try adding Swiss cheese, feta cheese, or gouda.
• Quiche Crust: Save time by using your favorite store-bought pie crust instead of homemade pie crust.

Frequently Asked Questions