Cherry Danish Recipe

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This recipe for Cherry Danish with cream cheese is a quick and easy breakfast treat that everyone will love! It’s made with puff pastry sheets, sweet cherry pie filling, and rich sweetened cream cheese.

cherry danish on baking sheet

Easy Cherry Danish Recipe

I love sweet treats for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. donuts, danish, cinnamon rolls — I love them all. Homemade Danish is so tasty and this is my favorite recipe. The puff pastry gets beautifully golden brown in the oven, holding the cream cheese filling and cherry filling so well. Plus, I can’t get enough of the flaky layers that puff pastry creates when it bakes. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

These cheese cherry danishes are perfect for Christmas morning, too. We like to keep breakfast light because I make a big Christmas dinner every year. These are the best for that because they aren’t heavy but still so yummy!

If you love Danish recipes like I do, these recipes for Lemon Cream Cheese Danish and Chocolate Cream Cheese Danish are also amazing!

cherry danish close up

Ingredients You Will Need

All you need is a handful of ingredients to make this delicious cherry Danish with cream cheese. Get the full amounts in the recipe card below.

  • Frozen Puff Pastry: Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator the night before making this recipe. 
  • Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese at room temperature by leaving it on the counter for about 30 minutes before making the sweetened cream cheese mixture.
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract: Divide this into 1 teaspoon and ½ teaspoon. 
  • Egg
  • Water
  • Cherry Pie Filling: Any brand/variety will work great.
  • Powdered Sugar
ingredients needed for Cherry Danish

How to Make a Cherry Danish

Using prepared puff pastry saves you time but also results in a perfectly golden and tasty treat. It makes the perfect cherry cheese Danish!

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Puff Pastry. Roll out both sheets of puff pastry onto a clean surface. Cut each of them into 6 rectangles with a sharp knife.
  • Prepare Pastry. Using the same knife, score each rectangle about ½ inch from the border. This will keep the middle flat for the filling while allowing the border to puff up and become crispy. Poke the middle of each puff pastry with a fork so the center doesn’t rise much during baking (which means more room for filling).
  • Place the prepared puff pastries onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between them.
  • Beat cream cheese, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Scoop the cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry rectangle and spread evenly, avoiding the border.
  • Egg Wash. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash onto the borders of each piece of puff pastry.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the puff pastry dough is puffed up and golden. Transfer the danishes to a wire rack to cool.
  • Cherry Pie Filling. Add a spoonful of cherry pie fruit filling to the center of each pastry while still warm. It should be just enough to spread over the cream cheese layer.
  • Drizzle. Combine powdered sugar, heavy cream, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over the cherry cheese danishes once cooled.
cherry danish with cream cheese filling on cooling wire rack

Tips and Tricks

  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  • To reheat, place in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
  • Use any cherry pie filling you like, even “extra cherry.”
  • Swap out the vanilla extract with almond extract to give the danish a nutty undertone.
  • Substitute the cherry filling for any other flavor! Some of my favorites are raspberry, blueberry, lemon, peach, and apple.
cherry danish on wire cooling rack

More Cherry Recipes

Cherry Danish feature
5 from 52 votes

Cherry Danish

This recipe for Cherry Danish with cream cheese is a quick and easy breakfast treat that everyone will love! It’s made with puff pastry sheets, sweet cherry pie filling, and rich sweetened cream cheese.
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 17.3 ounce puff pastry thawed

Filling

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 can cherry pie filling 10 teaspoons

Glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
  • Use the knife to score a ½ inch border around each rectangle (only cut about ½ way down into the dough). This will allow the outside ½ inch border to puff up while baking and the middle to stay flatter.
  • Use a fork to prick several areas around the middle of each rectangle of pastry. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
  • Place the pastries onto one large or two medium baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Scoop the mixture onto the pastries and spread out evenly over the center area, but not onto the ½ inch border.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the ½ inch border of each pastry
  • Bake the pastries at 400F for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack.
  • While the pastries are still warm, add a spoonful of the cherry pie filling to the center of each pastry and spread out just enough to mostly cover the cream cheese layer.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Drizzle the frosting over the cooled pastries.

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Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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