Thanks to puff pastry sheets, you can enjoy this light, flaky, and easy cherry cream cheese Danish with vanilla glaze in the comfort of your home, for breakfast or dessert any day of the week.
If you’ve been eyeballing cherries this summer, but you didn’t know what you would do with them if you had them, this easy cherry cream cheese Danish recipe is exactly what you need.
This year, instead of making a cherry pie, I decided to try something different. David always hollers that he wants breakfast, so I decided to make something that he could enjoy while we were on our Staycation a couple of weeks ago.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe:
Detailed measurements are provided in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Thawed puff pastry dough
- Softened cream cheese: Leave this out on the counter before going to bed the night before.
- Vanilla extract: homemade is best!
- Granulated Sugar: for extra sweetness
- Cherry Pie Filling: use the recipe to follow or buy canned. For this recipe, I cut the homemade cherry pie filling recipe In half. I have used that recipe countless times before. It’s made using fresh cherries and it tastes so much better than the stuff you buy in the can.
- Vanilla Glaze: recipe to follow.
How To Make Easy Cherry Cream Cheese Danish
First, I topped the puff pastry with vanilla-flavored sweetened cream cheese. I then topped the cream cheese with the cooled cherry pie filling and baked it in the oven until it was light, flaky, and golden brown. When the Danish pastries were cool enough, I drizzled them with a soft and sweet vanilla glaze.
To Make The Cherry Filling:
Combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring the cherry mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 to 10 minutes.
The cherry sauce will start to thicken significantly. Turn off heat and stir in almond extract. Allow the filling to cool while thawing the pastry dough, at room temperature, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat Oven and Prepare the Puff Pastry:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the thawed pastry dough on a lightly floured surface, into a 9 x 12 rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thirds. Using a pastry wheel or small knife, score a border ½ inch around the edge of each rectangle.
I used a pastry wheel, but it had no effect on the shape of the puff pastry; it just made it easier to cut. If you don’t have one, just use a knife!
Using a fork, prick the middle of the border 5 to 6 times. This will keep the middle portion of the dough from rising.
Assemble the Danishes:
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture into the middle of each piece of dough. Spread the cream cheese evenly, trying to make sure the mixture stays within the borders. Spoon 5 to 7 cherries into the middle of the cream cheese with some of the cherry juice.
Bake the Danishes:
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, on the middle rack in the oven.
Cool Before Glazing:
Remove the danishes from the baking sheet with a spatula and place them onto a wire cooling rack to cool.
Glazing:
When the danishes are cool, Combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the danishes or use a piping bag for a more decorative touch.
Serving and Reheating:
Serve warm. Reheat in a toaster oven, microwave, or serve at room temperature.
I wish I had an easy cherry cream cheese Danish right about now, don’t you?
Easy Cherry Cream Cheese Danish
Useful Equipment:
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry dough thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup cherry pie filling recipe to follow or use canned
- vanilla glaze recipe to follow
Cherry Filling:
- 4 cups fresh pitted cherries
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Bring the cherry mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 to 10 minutes. The cherry sauce will start to thicken significantly. Turn off heat and stir in almond extract. Allow the filling to cool while thawing the pastry dough, at room temperature, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll out the thawed pastry dough on a lightly floured surface, into a 9 x 12 rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thirds. Using a pastry wheel or small knife, score a border ½ inch around the edge of each rectangle.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture into the middle of each piece of dough. Spread the cream cheese evenly, trying to make sure the mixture stays within the borders.
- Spoon 5 to 7 cherries into the middle of the cream cheese with some of the cherry juice.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, on the middle rack in the oven.
- Remove the danishes from the baking sheet with a spatula and place onto a wire cooking rack to cool.
- When the danishes are cool, Combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the danishes or use a piping bag for a more decorative touch.
- Serve warm. Reheat in a toaster oven, microwave or serve at room temperature.
Debbie - Mountain Mama says
You are killing me, mountain sister!!!!!!!!!!! Now I want one of these immediately!!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hey Mountain Sister!! It’s so easy to make, go for it!! Hope you are doing well!
Rachel says
I think I’m one of those people that isn’t sure if I like cherries….. I just don’t remember ever eating them! I, too, stroll expensive grocery stores & basically make a lunch out of free samples. 😀 I really want to make this for my hubs! He loves sweet breakfasts.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Rachel! You’ve never tried cherries? Washington State grows some of the best. Aren’t you out that way? Your hubs will do whatever you want if you make these for him! Thanks for stopping by!
p.s. I snack on samples too…lol! 🙂