Churros de Queso (Cheese Churros)

These index finger-sized pastries are rolled and filled with firm, salty, white cheese that oozes as the churros fry.

Buñuelos de Yuca y Queso (Yuca and Cheese Fritters)

These golden, crusty, cheesy fritters are on the salty side. But when with a served warm, dark mahogany-colored, cinnamon and clove-scented simple syrup, they make for a wonderfully sweet and savory end to a meal.

Venezuelan Black Bean and Cheese Domino Empanadas

Domino Empanadas hail from Venezuela, and feature a black and white filling reminiscent of domino tiles. Black beans and mild, melty cheese make up the filling. A crispy, fried cornmeal dough provides the vessel to contain all the yummy flavors inside!

Golfeados (Venezuelan Sticky Buns)

The result: buns that are candied on the outside and soft, buttery, cheesy, and spiced inside their coils.

Cuñapes/Pão de Queijo (South American Cheesy Bread)

This cheesy and addictive South American bread goes by many names, but whether you call it pão de queijo, cuñapes, or pan de bono, it's always equally delicious. This version is made with Brazilian fermented tapioca starch for extra tang and an authentic flavor. A combination of chopped Cheddar and Grana Padano cheeses add both a stretch texture and salty bite. Best of all, they bake up perfectly from frozen so you can always have a stash on hand to quell even the most aggressive cheese cravings...

Calzones Rotos (Chilean Fried Pastries)

A Chilean friend says she finds calzones rotos a bit dry, but I politely disagree. More than doughnuts or funnel cake, they're really fried cookies. She probably just takes them for granted. Plus, they're served warm and dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Tamales de Queso (Cheese Tamales) From Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen

These tamales, from Martin Morales's cookbook, Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen, are much different from their Mexican brethren. Instead of using a dough made from masa and lard, they're made with pureed fresh corn, cooked down with butter, garlic, chili paste, and a touch of sugar.

Pastelitos de Queso y Guayaba (Guava and Cheese Pastries)

A common Latino flavor combination, guava and cheese is the perfect filling for sweet turnovers or pastries such as these pastelitos de guayaba y queso.

Cheese-Stuffed Colombian-Style Arepas

Colombian-style arepas often have crumbled cheese mixed right into the dough. An even more intense option: arepas made with a thick layer of melty cheese stuffed right into the middle.

Venezuelan-Style Arepas (Arepas Rellenas)

In Venezuela, arepas tend to be thicker, with savory fillings sandwiched into them after splitting. Here the arepas are browned, then finished with gentle heat.