Easy Cherry Cheese Danish

My Easy Cherry Cheese Danish recipe is the perfect combination of cherries, cream cheese, preserves, lemon juice, and sugar.  With a few staple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you too can whip up these cherry cheese pastries in minutes and bake until golden, flaky, and crispy! 

 

One box of frozen puff pastry sheets, cream cheese, lemon juice, sugar along with fresh cherries in season and cherry preserves is all you need to make these crispy delicious tasting pastries.

These delectable pastries are crispy and flaky on the outside, with soft cheese and cherry flavor inside.  YUM!

Perfect to make any day of the week, or for a Sunday brunch for family and friends. 

 

 

How to Make Easy Cherry Cheese Danish?

These are the ingredients  you will need for Easy Cherry Cheese Danish:

• 1 box of frozen puff pastry sheets

• 3/4 cup of fresh cherries (about 8 to 10 cherries)

• 6-ounces of cream cheese (1/2 of a 12-ounce container)

• 1/2 of a lemon – juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

• 1 egg – beaten (for egg wash)

• a small jar of any cherry preserves

• 1 cup powdered sugar, for icing

Directions to Make These Cherry Cheese Danishes…

1.  First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204.4C).  Take a sheet of parchment paper and place it over a large baking sheet.   Then open the puff pastry package and allow it to thaw on your counter, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2.  Unfold one pastry sheet, remove parchment paper and place it onto the prepared baking sheet.   

3.  Next, with a paring knife, slice the puff pastry sheet along its 3 seams, into three horizontal pieces.  Then slice each one, vertically down the center, giving you 6 pieces in total.

 

Meanwhile, PREPARE THE FILLING:

a.  To mince the cherries, slice each cherry to remove the pit.  Toss each cherry into a small food chopper or processor.  Pulse a few times until the cherries are finely minced.  Set aside.

b.  When the cut sheets are fully defrosted, pick up each of the 4 corners, fold each corner over, and press down to seal the seam. 

 

c.  In a small bowl, use a fork or a whisk to whisk cream cheese, lemon juice, and sugar until well combined. 

d.  Place about one tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry sheet.  

 

e.  Then spoon about 1 teaspoon of the freshly chopped cherries over the cream cheese mixture.

f.   Now, eggwash each corner, using a small kitchen brush,  dip into the beaten egg, and brush each corner (all four corners) of each pastry sheet. 

 

Now they are ready to go into the oven…

1.  BAKE in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until they turn golden.

2.  Remove from the oven.   

3.  Use a teaspoon to spoon (about 1/2 teaspoon) the cherry preserves (or jam) in the center of each danish while they are still warm. 

4.  Then transfer to a wire rack to allow for additional cooling. 

 

 

Make the ICING:

•  Mix and stir the powdered sugar and water in a small bowl.   Use a teaspoon to drizzle diagonally over each danish and serve.

• When these pastries are fully cooled, use a small spoon to drizzle with icing on top.  Store at room temperature, or in the refrigerator. 

Your family and friends will love the flakiness of these pastries.

They are so good.  Be careful, you’ll be tempted to eat a second one. 😉

This recipe will yield 6 to 12 cherry cheese danish pastries.  Each pastry puff sheet will yield 6 pastries.

Therefore, if you want to make “only 6” danish pastries, use one pastry puff sheet, and reserve the other for another day. 

Try this recipe and let us know what you think!

ENJOY!!

 

NOTES and TIPS…

Don’t have fresh cherries?  No worries! 

• Bake these pastries with the cheese filling only, then spoon cherry preserves (or jam) on top – after they have been baked.  Otherwise, the preserves (or jam) will melt and run off each danish while baking. 

• Best when served the day you make these pastries.

• Serve them warm or at room temperature, while they are crispy and flaky.

  

Storing and Freezing…

• Store at room temperature to keep them fresh in a pastry or cake platter with a cover.  

• To Reheat:  you can pop them into a toaster oven or conventional oven at 275 degrees F, for a few minutes to get them crispy again. 

• You can also freeze them for up to 2 weeks.  Then thaw them for a few minutes, pop them into a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for about 5 to 10 minutes.  Or thaw on the counter for 10 minutes, then microwave for 10 to 12 seconds. 

 

 

Finally, additional Breakfast Ideas and Recipes! 

• Easy Hash Browns Breakfast

• Five Easy Quiche Recipes

• Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins and Walnuts

• Blueberry Lemon Oat Muffins

• Avocado Toast for Breakfast

• Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins

• Easy Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

 

Yield: 6 to 12 servings

Easy Cherry Cheese Danish

Print

Easy Cherry Cheese Danish recipe is the perfect combination of cherries, cream cheese, preserves, lemon juice, and sugar. Bake until golden and crispy. Perfect for a delicious Sunday breakfast or any day of the week!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box of frozen puff pastry sheets
• 3/4 cup of fresh cherries (about 8 to 10 cherries)
• 6-ounces of cream cheese ( 1/2 of a 12-ounce container)
• 1/2 of a lemon - juiced
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 egg - beaten (for egg wash)
• a jar of cherry preserves

For the Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (204.4 C). Take a sheet of parchment paper and place it over one large baking sheet. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, lightly beat one egg and set it aside. This will be used to egg wash the pastries.
3. Open the frozen package of puff sheets and allow the package of sheets (one or both) to thaw on your counter, for about 10 to 15 minutes. NOTE: if you plan to make only 6 Danish pastries, then reserve the second frozen pastry puff sheet in the freezer for another day.
4. Unfold one pastry sheet, remove packaging paper and place it onto the prepared baking sheet.
5. Next, with a paring knife, slice the pastry sheet, along its 3 seams, into three horizontal pieces. Then slice each one, down the center (in half) giving you 6 pieces total for each pastry puff sheet.

Meanwhile, PREPARE THE FILLING:

1. To mince the cherries, slice each cherry to remove the pit. Toss each cherry into a small food chopper or processor. Pulse a few times until the cherries are finely minced. Set it aside.
2. In a small bowl, use a fork or a whisk to whisk cream cheese, lemon juice, and sugar until well combined.
3. Place about one tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry square. Then spoon about 1 teaspoon of the freshly chopped cherries over the cream cheese mixture.
4. When the pastry sheet is fully defrosted, fold each corner over (about 1-inch) and press down to seal the seam. Fold over all 4 corners of each pastry.
5. Now, eggwash each corner. Using a small kitchen brush, dip into the beaten egg and brush each corner (all four corners) of each pastry puff with the egg wash.
6. BAKE in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until they turn golden.
7. Remove from the oven, and while they cool, use a teaspoon to spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry preserves (or jam) in the center of each danish while they are still warm. Then transfer to a wire rack to allow for additional cooling.
8. REPEAT the same with the second pastry puff sheet (if you plan to make all 12 danish pastries).

For the ICING:

1. Mix in a small bowl the powdered sugar and water. Use a teaspoon to drizzle diagonally over each danish and serve.
2. When the pastries are fully cooled, use a small spoon to drizzle with icing on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
3. Store any remaining cherry cheese danish in a sealed container, or in the refrigerator.

To Reheat Cherry Cheese Danish Pastries:

1. It's best to reheat these pastries in a preheated oven at 275 degrees F for about 10 minutes. This will bring back the crispiness in the pastries and taste freshly made.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12 servings (12 Danish Pastries)

Serving Size:

1 Danish
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 269Total Fat: 10.3gSaturated Fat: 8.2gCarbohydrates: 29.9gFiber: 1.4gSugar: 16.2gProtein: 3.8g

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xo Anna and Liz