Description
These Easy Cherry Danish Pastries are buttery, flaky, and filled with a sweet cream cheese and cherry combination. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert, they’re impressive-looking but quick and easy to make thanks to store-bought puff pastry.
Ingredients
For the Pastry
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1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
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1 large egg + 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
For the Cream Cheese Filling
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6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup sugar (or to taste)
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½ tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract, optional)
For the Cherry Filling
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Cherry pie filling (canned) or fresh/frozen cherries, pitted and sweetened
For the Glaze (Optional)
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Powdered sugar
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Milk or water (for icing consistency)
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
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Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
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Beat the softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla (or almond) extract until smooth.
3. Roll Out and Cut Pastry
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet into a square or rectangle.
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Cut into smaller squares or rectangles depending on desired danish size.
4. Assemble the Danishes
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Place ~1 tbsp of cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry piece.
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Top with a spoonful of cherry pie filling or cherries.
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Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
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Fold, braid, or leave the pastry edges exposed as desired.
5. Bake
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Bake in the preheated oven for 15–25 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden.
6. Make the Icing (Optional)
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Whisk powdered sugar with a little milk or water until smooth.
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Drizzle over cooled danishes or dust with powdered sugar.
7. Serve
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Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
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Chill puff pastry slightly if too soft to handle to maintain flaky layers.
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Avoid overfilling — too much cream cheese or cherry can cause soggy or leaking pastries.
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Let pastries rest a few minutes after baking before adding icing for best results.
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You can customize the filling with other fruit preserves or cream cheese flavorings.
Nutrition
- Calories: 250kcal
- Fat: 16g
- Protein: 5g