Cherry Danish With Vanilla Glaze

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.

Have you been eyeballing cherries this summer but didn’t know what you would do with them if you had them? This easy cherry Danish recipe is exactly what you need!

David always hollers that he wants breakfast, so I decided to make something he could enjoy while we were on our Staycation a couple of weeks ago. I always make cherry pie with fresh cherries, so this time, I made cherry danishes. (Not that I would EVER get tired of cherry pie.)

These Danish are the perfect combination of sweet and tart. They have a cream cheese filling and a drizzle of vanilla glaze to finish them off. They are a lot of fun to make, and you’ll be surprised by how easy this cherry Danish is to make!

They’re almost like eating little cherry cheesecake pies.

Let’s make Cherry Danish together!

Ingredients And Substitutions

I used cherries because they are in season, but you can use any fresh seasonal fruit or berries for the filling. Here’s a quick list of the ingredients you’ll need. Detailed measurements are provided in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Puff Pastry Sheet: only one sheet of thawed puff pastry dough.
• Cream Cheese: the cream cheese should be at room temperature so it is easy to mix and spread.
• Vanilla extract: homemade is best!
• Granulated Sugar: for extra sweetness
• Cherry Pie Filling: Use the recipe below or store-bought canned cherry pie filling. For this recipe, I cut the homemade cherry pie filling recipe in half. I have used that recipe countless times before. This recipe uses fresh cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar cornstarch, and almond extract.
  Filling Substitutes: Peach, apple, pear, blackberry, strawberry, or blueberry.
• Vanilla Glaze: made of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.

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:

In a small saucepan, combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. 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 did not affect the shape of the puff pastry; it just made it easier to cut. If you don’t have one, 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 sweetened 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 Storage and Reheating:

• SERVING: Serve warm or at room temperature.
• REHEATING: Reheat in an oven, toaster oven, microwave.
• STORAGE: Uneaten Danish can be refrigerated for 3-5 days, but they will lose their crispy edges. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tips For Making Cherry Danish

• Double the ingredients if you don’t want to put the unused puff pastry sheet in the freezer.
• The night before, leave a package of cream cheese out on the counter before bed so it will be at room temperature when you wake up.
• Don’t miss out! Homemade cherry filling tastes so much better than the stuff you buy in the can. If it’s easier for you, make it ahead.
• Apply an egg wash with a pastry brush for more dramatic color and sheen.
• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

I wish I had an easy cherry cream cheese Danish right about now, don’t you?