-
Nut Free
Easy Cherry Danish with Sweet Cream Cheese
This easy Cherry Danish with Sweet Cream Cheese is the perfect combination of flaky, ooey gooey, and delicious! This simple Danish recipe makes a perfectly baked puff pastry filled with yummy cream cheese and juicy cherries. Don’t forget to top it with a drizzled glaze before you dig in!
Table of Contents
All About My Favorite Cherry Danish Pastry
I love a quick breakfast especially if it’s a sweet breakfast. My Easy Cherry Danish Recipe became one of my unintentional secrets, but don’t worry, I’m finally revealing all my tips and tricks!
I’ve made Russian Sweet Cheese Filling Buns for as long as I can remember, so I’m a huge sweet pastry fan. That means I’ve tasted many Danishes in my day. I had made them so often that eventually, I wanted to streamline the process and make it as easy as possible.
Over time, I found my ready-made hacks and I’ve never looked back! Due to store-bought puff pastry sheets and canned cherry filling, you’ll have unforgettable golden brown Danish pastries whipped up in less than an hour. They’re sweet, flaky, creamy, and slightly tart from the cherry filling. It doesn’t stop there though – you also drizzle a sweet glaze on top before serving!
The easy Cherry Cream Cheese Danishes are a family favorite. The pop of color from the cherry filling makes them look like they’re coming straight from the local bakery store. They’re almost too gorgeous to eat!
This is the perfect recipe for a special Sunday brunch, Christmas morning, or holiday breakfast. It also makes a great centerpiece for more intimate gatherings and special occasions. I recommend making them for yourself and enjoying this sweet treat with tea or a cup of coffee while sitting outside in the fresh air if you can. No matter when you make them, they’re scrumptious and come together in a snap!
Key Ingredients for an Easy Cherry Danish Recipe
Start with simple ingredients that you’ll already have in your kitchen:
- Sugar- white fine sugar.
- Eggs – but you’ll only use the yolk of large-size eggs for the egg wash.
- Vanilla extract– it can also be the powder version.
- Salt– fine sea salt.
Then, when you nip to your local grocery store, all you’ll need is a handful of items:
- Cream cheese– softened to avoid lumps, which can occur when the cream cheese is cold. Softened cream cheese creates that creamy smooth texture we’ll need.
- Lemon juice– from a fresh lemon.
- Original Country Cherry– one can will make the most mouthwatering cherry pie filling
- Puff pastry – I get the frozen sheets!
Cherry Danish Glaze
It’s so simple. All you’ll need is powdered sugar and milk!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
Step By Step Instructions to Make a Cherry Danish Pastry
Step 1: Thaw Pastry
Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer and allow it to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Don’t try to unfold it – it’ll easily break while frozen.
Step 2: Make the Sweet Cream Cheese Filling
Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar on a low speed until the mixture is creamy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt, and then continue mixing until it’s all smooth.
Step 3: Prep the Pastry Dough
Place your thawed puff pastry on a tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure you have a lightly floured surface then roll it out carefully.
Step 4: Spread Cream Cheese Filling
Place the sweetened cream cheese mixture down the middle of the puff pastry sheet lengthwise. Create about a 3-inch strip of filling.
Step 5: Add Cherries
Spread the cherries on top of the cream cheese filling.
Step 6: Cut Dough Strips
Using a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors, cut the sides of the puff pastry dough into equal pieces of 1-inch wide strips. Cut towards the filling, leaving about 1 inch before actually getting to the filling.
Step 7: Make a Pastry braid
Alternating sides, fold the strips of dough in and over the sweet cream cheese filling until it looks like a braided pastry with fruit peeking out.
Step 8: Egg Wash and Bake
Brush the dough with beaten egg yolk using a pastry brush, and then bake the pastry at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes, at which point the pastry should be golden brown.
Step 9: Mix Glaze
In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and milk until it’s well blended.
Step 10: Glaze and serve
Allow the baked pastry to cool, and then use a small spoon to glaze it to your heart’s desire. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For convenience, I used a can of cherries, but you can use fresh cherries, especially during cherry season.
- You can also use almond extract instead of vanilla extract.
- If possible use authentic, fresh lemon juice as bottled lemon juice usually has additives and preservatives.
- To prevent melting, let the pastry cool before adding the glaze
How to store leftover Cream Cheese Cherry Danish Pastries
- Store the leftover sweet pastry, at room temperature for 1-2 days, cover with plastic wrap.
- You can keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days then warm them in the air fryer or oven.
- To keep for longer, freeze each pastry for up to 3 months in a plastic wrap and freezer Ziploc.
Recipe FAQs
The dough is said to have originated in Denmark when Danish bakery workers went on strike and Austrian bakers who were non-Danish worked in their place. The Austrian bakers started to make their own version of the dough which became famous and is what we now refer to today as “Danish”.
A Danish is just a variation of a pastry! Usually, the difference comes into play with the dough and how it’s baked (steam or yeast). When it comes down to it though, most people use the terms “pastry” and “Danish” interchangeably.
Neither! They’re traditionally eaten at room temperature.
What kind of dough are Danish pastries made of?
They’re made of yeast-leavened dough that is rolled out into an incredibly thin layer and topped with butter, then folded and rolled out incredibly thin again. The process of adding butter and rolling is repeated many times, and that’s what gets buttery puff pastry which is also flaky!
Yes, just like your favorite cheesecake, you can add any kind of pie filling on top of the sweet cream cheese filling. Depending on your favorite fruits, you can try apples, blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry filling.
You can use the crescent dough, a package of canned crescent rolls, or a crescent sheet.
If you love pastry recipes as much as l do, you’ll love these sweet treats:
- The Simple and Delicate Puff Pastry Cones with Cream (Cream Horns) is soft, airy, and tasty too!
- You’ll love the Classic Eclair Recipe with Cream and Chocolate Glaze because it’s a classic dessert that’s also easy to make.
Other Tasty Cherry Recipes to Try
If you tried this Easy Cherry Danish with Sweet Cream Cheese or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Easy Cherry Danish with Sweet Cream Cheese
Equipment
-
Cooling rack
-
Pizza cutter
-
bowl
-
whisk
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 21 oz Original Country Cherry, 1 can, drained
- 1 large egg yolk, for brushing on the danish
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk
Instructions
-
Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes (do not unfold- it will easily break).1 sheet puff pastry
-
Beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until creamy. Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt and continue mixing until the mixture is nice and smooth.6 oz cream cheese,, ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp lemon juice, 1 pinch salt
-
Place the puff pastry on a try lined with parchment paper, dust it with flour and roll it out carefully.1 sheet puff pastry
-
Place the cream cheese mixture down the middle of the puff pastry sheet lengthwise- creating about a 3 inch strip of filling.
-
Spread the cherries on top of the filling.21 oz Original Country Cherry,
-
Using a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors, cut the sides of the pastry into 1 inch wide strips. Cut towards the filling, leaving about 1 inch before actually getting to the filling.
- Alternating the sides, fold them in over the filling until it will look like a braided pastry with fruit peeking out.
-
Brush the dough with the beaten egg yolk.1 large egg yolk,
- Bake for 400° F for 25 minutes until golden brown.
-
Mix powdered sugar and milk and mix until well blended.¼ cup powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp milk
-
Let it cool before glazing the pastry.
Notes
- You can also use a different fruit or Nutella instead of country cherries.
- Store on the counter in a closed container or wrap.
I love making these especially when I’m short on time. I have since made them with strawberries, lemon curd, Nutella.
All good!
Yes! Love this easy recipe, got to try with lemon curd, sounds delicious.
I love your recipes! I can’t wait to make the chicken meatball soup
Thank you, appreciate your feedback.
This does not work as in direction. Either your puff pastry is bigger? As it did not stay in the centre? Was NOT thick for sure! Was a mess actually. Hoping tastes good.
Did u roll out the pastry?
Was disappointing.
oh sorry that it didn’t work out for you, it’s really an easy recipe, step 3 does say to roll the pastry, did you maybe miss that step?
I am looking forward to making this but have a question first. You are using sheets of Puff Pastry, can you tell me the measurements of it? The Puff Pastry in my local store is only available in a block and has to be rolled out using a rolling pin. I need some guideline as to size. Thank you!
Hi! approximately 9.75” X 10.5” X 3/16” is one sheet of frozen puff pastry