Easy Cherry Danish with Puff Pastry
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This easy Cherry Danish recipe features buttery puff pastry filled with sweetened cream cheese and fresh cherries. Delicious for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a snack!
Fresh cherries are one of my favorite fruits. Of course, when fruit is involved, I’m always thinking of ways to encase it in buttery flaky pastry. (And if that is wrong, I don’t want to be right.) These homemade cherry danishes are the perfect combination!
Why Make This Recipe
- Lighter than traditional danish recipes: This puff pastry danish uses just fresh cherries on top of a sweet cream cheese mixture. No cherry pie filling packed with sugar, no extra flour or cornstarch.
- Super easy to make: Just roll out store-bought puff pastry dough, cut into squares, and add the cheese and fruit. Then pinch together the dough and bake—presto, delicious cherry pastries!
- Simple ingredients, with easy substitutions: You can make a fruit danish with puff pastry using whatever fruit is in season: try my Raspberry Danish recipe and my Apricot Danish recipe too!
- Perfect for a holiday breakfast or other special occasions.
🥗 Ingredients
- Sweet Cherries: Fresh cherries are, of course, the star for me in this recipe, but they can be replaced with whatever fruit is in season. Or, use frozen or canned cherries. Just make sure to pat them dry before using.
- Cream Cheese: I prefer the full-fat version of cream cheese, but you can use the low-fat if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a delicious scent and flavor to the filling. Try replacing with almond extract for something a little different!
- Puff pastry: If you want to try your hand at making your own puff pastry dough, I highly recommend Cathy Barrow’s quick puff pastry recipe. It’s easy to do, and is even more delicious than store-bought. Otherwise, buying puff pastry dough in sheets makes this recipe even easier.
🥣 Instructions
Keep puff pastry dough refrigerated until you are ready to use.
1. Rinse 6 ounces of cherries, then pat dry with a paper towel. Pit cherries, and cut in half with your fingers or a knife. If you work with cherries a lot, you may want to invest in a cherry pitter.
2. Next, prepare the cheese mixture by stirring together 4 ounces cream cheese, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Taste and add more sugar if your cherries are very tart, or you like a sweeter filling.
3. Make egg wash by whisking together one egg with a tablespoon of cold water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
4. Now, remove 1 sheet or block of puff pastry dough from the refrigerator.
5. Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a square, 10.5 inches on all sides. As you roll, flip the dough over and add more flour to the board if your dough is sticking at all. Dough should be about ⅛-inch thick when done.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut into 9 squares of 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches in size. If the sheet of puff pastry becomes too soft to work with at any point, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up again.
7. Place a dollop of sweetened cream cheese mixture (about 1 tablespoon) into the center of each pastry square.
8. Top with a few cherry halves (about 3-4), then paint a small amount of egg wash on one corner of the pastry square as you bring it up and over the opposite corner and squeeze together to seal.
Don’t worry if edges become unsealed during baking—the point is just to make sure the filling stays inside the pastries as they bake. Put egg wash in the refrigerator with a little plastic wrap over the bowl—you will need it again later.
9. Next, you need to chill the pastries before baking. If you have a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer, line it with parchment paper and carefully place the pastries on it before moving it into the freezer.
If a sheet pan won’t fit, line a plate with parchment paper, and place the pastries on that. Freeze pastries for at least 30 minutes, until they are quite firm.
10. Preheat oven to 210 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. After at least 30 minutes in the freezer, place pastries a couple of inches apart on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan (if they are not already on one). Then paint all exposed pastry with egg wash using a pastry brush.
12. Bake for 20 minutes, until pastries are cooked through and golden brown. After 2 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
13. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve, if you like. These easy cherry cream cheese danishes are a sweet treat that is just heavenly warm out of the oven!
🧐 Recipe FAQs
Yes, these cream cheese danishes are great to make in advance since you need to chill them before baking anyway. Freeze them on a plate or sheet pan in the freezer until they are quite solid.
Then you can move them into a freezer-safe ziplock bag or other freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to bake, remove from the freezer and place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
(You do not need to defrost them first.) Then brush all exposed pastry with egg wash before baking. Freezing is a great way to have this family favorite anytime you want!
Since these cherry danishes have a cheese filling, you should store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Or, you can put them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
For best results, reheat pastries in a 375-degree oven when you’re ready to serve.
A Danish pastry, or just Danish for short, is a sweet pastry that originated with Austrian bakers but became famous in Danish preparations. Traditional Danish dough uses yeast for leavening and includes flour, butter, milk, eggs, and sugar. Like puff pastry dough, danish dough is rolled out, covered with butter, and then folded again and again before rolled out again, filled, and baked.
Danish pastries can be topped with fruit, chocolate, icing or nuts. Typical danish fillings include jam, custard, dried or fresh fruit, and nuts. In the U.S., they often appear with sweet cream cheese and fruit on top.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Have you ever forgotten to defrost your puff pastry in advance? Luckily, puff pastry defrosts quickly. If you have several hours, the safest way to defrost your puff pastry is in the refrigerator.
However, if you are short on time, I give you leave to put that puff pastry onto your lightly floured counter at room temperature. Turn it over at least once during the defrosting process.
Check it every 5-10 minutes to see how it’s coming along, and put it in the fridge if you are not ready to use it when it is ready.
The key to this cherry cheese danish recipe is making sure your puff pastry sheet doesn't get too soft. Soft puff is difficult to roll, and the butter within the dough begins to melt. (You want that butter not to melt until it hits the high heat of your oven, where it will steam and create all those delicious buttery layers around your cherry filling.)
The good news is that there is an easy fix if your puff pastry becomes too soft to roll or work with. Just pop it into the fridge until it is cold and carry on.
To use frozen cherries, defrost them first, then carefully pat them dry to remove as much extra moisture as possible.
Note that fresh cherries all have a different sweetness level, based on the variety and when they were harvested. Taste your fruit to see how sweet it is. If your cherries are quite tart, you may want to add more powdered sugar to your cream cheese mixture. Try the combination together to make sure you have the balance you like. Too sweet? Add a little lemon juice.
Want a super easy recipe for a cherry danish? Try using crescent rolls instead of puff pastry dough. No rolling required!
I love this danish recipe for a fun holiday dessert. You might also want to try my Biscoff Cheesecake recipe for another delicious option.
Other Uses for Fresh Cherries
Cherries, of course, can be eaten out of hand as a delicious snack, but there are other ways to make the most out of these superfood berries.
- Top yogurt with cherries and a handful of granola, like this Almond, Pecan, and Pumpkin Seed Granola or Apple Cinnamon Granola
- Make a parfait layering fresh cherries with yogurt or mascarpone whipped cream and crumbled cookies. See Strawberry Parfait with Mascarpone Cream and Mango Coconut Yogurt Parfait for inspiration
- Cook down a bunch of pitted cherries and some sugar to make Sweet Cherry Compote—delicious on oatmeal or ice cream or chia pudding
- Freeze extras (wash and pit them, then seal in an airtight freezer bag) to use later in a smoothie like this Chia Seed Cherry Smoothie
- Include them in a fruit salad with melon and kiwi, or whatever fruits you choose
- Try a savory approach with this Summer Cherry Salsa, and use it top slices of pork tenderloin or even fish tacos
- Use fresh cherries to make cherry pie or a cherry crumble (see this Peach Blueberry Crisp for ideas!)
Other Puff Pastry Recipes
Puff pastry is fantastic for both sweet and savory recipes. For a party appetizer or fun main course, try using puff pastry in this delicious Antipasto Stromboli recipe by Cathy Barrow.
You can use it to top a pot pie, or slice and fold into savory or sweet palmiers. You can even just roll it up with cinnamon and sugar and make Cinnamon Swirls or Cinnamon Twists. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
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Cherry Danish with Puff Pastry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces fresh cherries
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar plus extra to garnish
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and refrigerated
Instructions
- Rinse cherries, then pat dry with a paper towel.
- Pit cherries, and cut in half with your fingers or a knife.
- Next, prepare the cheese mixture by stirring together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Note: taste your fruit to see how sweet it is. If your cherries are quite tart, you may want to add more powdered sugar to your cream cheese mixture.
- Make egg wash by whisking together one egg with a tablespoon of cold water and a pinch of salt.
- Remove puff pastry dough from the refrigerator. Flour your counter or a large cutting board.
- Roll out pastry dough into a square, 10 ½ inches on all sides. As you roll, flip the dough over and add more flour to the board if your dough is sticking at all. Dough should be about ⅛-inch thick when done.
- Cut into 9 squares of 3 ½ inches x 3 ½ inches in size. If dough becomes too soft to work with at any point, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up again.
- Place a dollop of cheese mixture (about 1 tablespoon) into the center of each pastry square.
- Top with a few cherry halves (about 3-4), then paint a small amount of egg wash on one corner of the pastry square as you bring it up and over the opposite corner and squeeze together tightly to seal. Don’t worry if edges become unsealed during baking—the point is just to make sure the filling stays inside the pastries as they bake. Put egg wash in the refrigerator—you will need it again later.
- Next, you need to chill the pastries before baking. If you have a sheet pan that will fit in your freezer, line it with parchment paper and carefully place the pastries on it before moving it into the freezer. If a sheet pan won’t fit, line a plate with parchment paper, and place the pastries on that. Freeze pastries for at least 30 minutes, until they are quite firm.
- Preheat oven to 210 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After at least 30 minutes in the freezer, place pastries a couple of inches apart on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan (if they are not already on one).
- Then paint all exposed pastry with egg wash using a pastry brush.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until pastries are cooked through and golden brown.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve, if you like.
Video
Notes
- Keep puff pastry dough refrigerated until you are ready to use. If it becomes too soft to work with at any point, pop it back in the refrigerator until it firms up.
- Since these cherry danishes have a cheese filling, you should store them in the refrigerator. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge. Or, you can put them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, reheat pastries in a 375-degree oven when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this cherry cream cheese danish recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I'd love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Look great. I'd like to use frozen blueberries.
Would I need more sugar? A little corn starch?
I think your instincts are right--you might want a little more sugar, esp if you know your frozen blueberries to be really tart. And don't defrost them before baking--that will actually lead to more liquid than if you just use them frozen. You could toss with a a teaspoon or two of cornstarch just in case, but I might test one without doing that first and see how it goes.
Made this super easy cherry danish and boy, was it delicious! First, I didn't defrost the puff pastry in advance, so I followed your instructions on thawing it quickly. It worked like a charm. The puff pastry was not too soft and I was able to fill it with the cherry filling. The kids LOVED this danish and there was none left. Will be making it again for Christmas brunch.
Yes, it's fantastic for Christmas brunch! So glad you all loved it.
decent recipe, full disclosure the vessel for filling and cook times brought me here..my fruit filling was an apple cherry sweetened with minimal granulated sugar using brown, dates, boiled with an elderberry syrup I've made from this harvest season. There's several other tweaks and difference and it was very tasty with flaky dough
that filling sounds lovely as well!