This Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish is flaky, buttery, and filled with rich, soft cream cheese and fresh, lightly sugared strawberries. Made with convenient puff pastry sheets, these pastries are easy to make but look and taste like something from a bakery. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, they’re fun to make and even more fun to eat. Love fruit-filled pastries? Try my Cherry Cream Cheese Danish, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff Pastry: You will need two sheets of store-bought puff pastry, thawed according to package directions. You can use all-butter or regular puff pastry; both work beautifully. Or, make my homemade Puff Pastry. Just leave out the cinnamon when making it for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Combine softened cream cheese with sugar, vanilla extract, a pinch of kosher salt, and optional lemon zest until smooth. Softened cream cheese makes the filling creamy and rich, and full-fat works best, though reduced-fat is fine.
- Strawberry Topping: Fresh, juicy strawberries tossed with sugar and cornstarch help thicken the topping and draw out the natural juices, keeping the pastries from getting soggy.
- Egg Wash: Brushing the edges of each pastry with egg wash gives a golden, shiny finish.
- Optional Toppings: Confectioners’ sugar for dusting, or a simple glaze made from confectioners’ sugar plus a small amount of milk for drizzling over the pastries. For a glossy, bakery-style finish, lightly warm strawberry jam or jelly and brush it over the strawberries after baking; it adds shine and a touch of extra sweetness.
FAQs
Can I use a different fruit instead of strawberries?
Yes! You can swap strawberries for raspberries, blueberries (I have a lemon blueberry danish), or even diced peaches. Just toss the fruit with a little sugar and cornstarch to thicken the topping, just like the strawberries.
Why do I toss the strawberries with sugar and cornstarch?
Tossing the berries with sugar draws out their natural juices for extra flavor, and cornstarch thickens the liquid so the pastries don’t get soggy.
Can I make the Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble the pastries and store them in the fridge for a few hours before baking. Bake just before serving for the best puff and texture.
Can I make these without puff pastry?
Puff pastry is what makes these Danish light and flaky, so it’s highly recommended. For a shortcut, you could try store-bought crescent dough, but the texture will be slightly different.
Do I have to use an egg wash?
The egg wash gives the edges a golden, glossy finish. You could skip it, but the pastries won’t have the same bakery-style look.
Serving Ideas
- Breakfast or Brunch: Serve warm straight from the oven with coffee, tea, or a glass of fresh juice for a sweet, flaky start to the day.
- Fruit Pairing: Add a side of fresh berries or a light fruit salad to complement the sweet-tart strawberry topping.
- Special Occasion: Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving for a bakery-style presentation.
- Snack or Dessert: These pastries are great for an afternoon treat or as part of a dessert tray at parties.
How to Store Strawberry Danish
Room Temperature: Store cooled pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. They’re best eaten the same day for maximum flakiness.
Refrigerator: You can refrigerate for up to 2 days, but the puff pastry may lose some of its crispness.
Freezing Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish
Assemble the pastries, but don’t bake them. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. Add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or drizzle glaze after baking.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
Pastries
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest, optional, but recommended
Strawberry Topping
- 2 cups (332 g) fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional Topping
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Strawberry Jam or Jelly, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, lay out the thawed puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 6 equal rectangles (about 4 ½ × 3 inches), for a total of 12 pastries.
- Arrange the rectangles on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each pastry.
- Using a fork, gently poke holes in the center of each rectangle, avoiding the edges. This helps the outer border puff while keeping the center flat for the filling.
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Stir in lemon zest if using. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, toss strawberries with sugar and cornstarch. Let sit for 5 minutes, then gently drain off excess liquid.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each pastry.
- Top with the prepared strawberries, layering evenly over the cream cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with water. Brush the edges of each pastry rectangle with the egg wash to achieve a golden, glossy finish.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the pastries are puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- (Optional) Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. For a glossy, bakery-style finish, lightly warm strawberry jam or jelly and brush it over the strawberries after baking; it adds shine and a touch of extra sweetness.
Did you make this recipe?
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