Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl.
Use a mixer to blend until smooth. Note: taste your raspberries to see how sweet they are. If your raspberries are quite tart, you may want to add more powdered sugar to your cream cheese mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk together one egg with a tablespoon of cold water and a pinch of salt.
Remove puff pastry dough from the refrigerator.
Sprinkle a little bit of flour over your counter or a large cutting board.
Roll out pastry dough 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.
Cut into 9 squares of 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches in size.
Place a dollop of cheese mixture (a little less than 1 tablespoon) into the center of each pastry square.
Top with a few raspberries (about 4), then paint a small amount of egg wash on one corner of the pastry square as you bring it up over the opposite corner and squeeze together to seal.
Put egg wash in the refrigerator for later.
To chill the pastries before baking, line a small sheet pan 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.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 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).
Paint all exposed pastry with egg wash using a pastry brush.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until pastries are cooked through and golden brown.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve, if you like.
Video
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions: Since you have to freeze the pastries before baking anyway, these are great for make ahead. Chill them on a plate or sheet pan in the freezer until they are quite solid. If you don’t want to bake them right away, move them into a freezer-safe ziplock bag or other container. Freeze for up to 2 months. No need to defrost before baking. Just remove from the freezer and place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Then brush all exposed pastry with egg wash before baking. You may need to add a few minutes of bake time to the recipe. Storage Instructions: Store baked pastries in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, reheat pastries in a 375-degree oven when you’re ready to serve.