Description
Delightful cherry cream cheese danishes bring European bakery charm straight to kitchen counters with minimal effort. Flaky pastry, sweet cherries, and rich cream cheese create an irresistible breakfast treat you can savor alongside morning coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Dough:
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting)
Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsp milk or water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Thaw puff pastry sheets at room temperature for 30-40 minutes until pliable but still cool.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Dust work surface with flour and unfold pastry sheets, gently rolling to smooth out any creases.
- Cut each pastry sheet into 4 equal squares using a sharp knife.
- Spoon cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry square, leaving a border around the edges.
- Arrange pitted cherries on top of cream cheese filling.
- Fold two opposite corners of each pastry square towards the center, creating a pinwheel-like shape.
- Whisk egg and milk together to create egg wash, then brush over the exposed pastry edges.
- Transfer danishes to prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature for optimal texture and flavor.
Notes
- Ensure puff pastry is completely thawed but still cool to maintain its delicate, flaky texture during baking.
- Keep cream cheese mixture at room temperature for smoother, easier spreading across pastry squares.
- Drain cherries thoroughly to prevent excess moisture from making the pastry soggy and compromising the crisp layers.
- Experiment with alternative fruit options like blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches for diverse flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Danish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg