Luscious Cherry Cheese Danish

Why This Cherry Cheese Danish Recipe Will Become Your New Favorite

As a devoted fan of all things cherry – from decadent chocolate cherry dump cake to classic cherry pie and elegant cherry chocolate pavlova – I can confidently say that one of the most delightful ways to savor this beloved summer fruit is nestled within a freshly baked cherry danish. While traditionally cherished as a breakfast pastry alongside a steaming cup of coffee or tea, these sweet treats are equally perfect as a satisfying dessert.

Beyond their incredible taste, there are numerous reasons why this particular cherry cheese danish recipe stands out:

• Effortlessly Quick: With just nine essential ingredients, this entire recipe comes together from start to finish in approximately 30 minutes. It’s ideal for those busy mornings or when unexpected guests arrive.
• Remarkably Easy: The secret weapon here is pre-made puff pastry, which eliminates the need for complex dough preparation. This makes the assembly process incredibly straightforward, even for novice bakers.
• Perfect Texture Profile: Prepare for a symphony of textures! Each danish boasts a wonderfully crisp and flaky exterior, giving way to a soft, creamy center. The final touch of sweet glaze melts delicately in your mouth, creating an unparalleled sensory experience.
• Generous Yield: This recipe is designed to produce 18 delectable cherry danishes per batch. This generous quantity makes it an excellent choice for potlucks, bake sales, brunches, or simply satisfying a hungry crowd at home. You’ll always have enough to share – or to keep all to yourself!

These danishes are more than just a treat; they’re a quick path to culinary delight, offering convenience without compromising on taste or quality. They provide that luxurious bakery experience without the fuss, making them a true culinary gem.

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Cherry Danish

Crafting exceptional cherry cheese danishes begins with understanding the role of each key ingredient. Here’s what you need to know to ensure outstanding results:

• Cream Cheese: This is the heart of our luscious filling, providing a rich, creamy base with a delightful sweet and tangy flavor. For the best texture and stability, always opt for full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Ensure it’s at room temperature before mixing; this prevents lumps and ensures a smooth, uniform filling.
• Puff Pastry: Your shortcut to bakery-quality flakiness! You’ll typically find this in the frozen dessert section of most grocery stores. Remember to thaw it properly before use, as detailed in our tips section, to make it pliable and easy to work with.
• Cherry Pie Filling: This provides the vibrant fruit topping and can be either store-bought for ultimate convenience or homemade if you prefer. A good quality filling will have plump cherries and a rich, sweet sauce.
• Granulated Sugar: Used in the cream cheese filling to add sweetness and balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.
• Large Eggs: Two eggs are needed: one for the cream cheese filling to help it set, and one for the egg wash, which gives the pastry its beautiful golden sheen and helps seal the edges.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla enhances the overall flavor profile of the cream cheese filling, adding a warm, aromatic note.
• Coarse Kosher Salt: Just a pinch of salt is crucial for bringing out the sweetness in the filling and balancing the flavors.
• Powdered Sugar (for Glaze): This is non-negotiable for the glaze! Regular granulated sugar will not dissolve properly to create the smooth, drizzly consistency needed for the perfect danish topping.
• Milk or Water (for Glaze): Used to thin the powdered sugar into a pourable glaze. Milk offers a slightly richer, creamier glaze, while water provides a lighter, clearer finish.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Homemade Cherry Cheese Danishes

Part 1: Preparing and Baking the Cheese Danishes

1. Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). As the oven heats, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and ensures easy cleanup.
2. Craft the Cream Cheese Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, one of the large eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), beat these ingredients together on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and free of any lumps, which usually takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set this delicious filling aside.




3. Prepare the Egg Wash: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining large egg with ½ tablespoon of water. This mixture, known as an egg wash, will give your danishes a beautiful golden-brown finish and help the layers adhere.
4. Cut and Fold the Puff Pastry: Carefully unroll each sheet of thawed puff pastry. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut each pastry sheet into nine equal squares. Now, take each square and fold it in half diagonally to form a triangle. Along the two open sides of the triangle, cut about ½ inch from the edges, making sure to leave the top corner attached. This is a crucial step to prevent the danishes from falling apart during baking, creating the signature danish shape that cups the filling.




5. Shape and Brush: Unfold each cut pastry square. Brush a generous amount of the prepared egg wash over the entire surface of each square. Then, carefully fold the two cut corners inwards, bringing them to meet and slightly overlap on the opposite side, creating a small border. Brush more egg wash over these newly folded edges to help seal them and ensure even browning.




6. Fill the Pastries: Arrange the shaped puff pastry squares onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each for expansion. Evenly divide the cream cheese mixture, dolloping about 2 tablespoons into the center of each pastry square. Ensure not to overfill, as this can cause spillage during baking.




7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is beautifully puffed up, golden brown, and cooked through. Keep a close eye on them, as ovens can vary. Once baked, remove the danishes from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheets before proceeding.

Part 2: Preparing the Sweet Sugar Glaze

1. Mix the Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with the milk (or water, if you prefer a less rich glaze). Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth, lump-free, and has a drizzly, pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add a few more drops of liquid; if too thin, add a tiny bit more powdered sugar.

Part 3: Assembling and Serving Your Cherry Cheese Danishes

1. Final Touches: Once the baked danishes have cooled slightly (they should still be warm but not hot), generously top each one with about 1.5 tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Spoon it directly over the cream cheese center. Finally, drizzle as much or as little of the prepared powdered sugar glaze as you’d like over each danish. Serve immediately and savor every bite of this homemade delight!

Expert Tips for Danish Perfection

Achieving bakery-level cherry cheese danishes at home is surprisingly simple with these insider tips:

• Proper Oven Temperature is Key: Always allow your oven ample time to fully preheat to the specified temperature. A properly hot oven ensures the puff pastry cooks rapidly and achieves maximum puff and flakiness without becoming tough or chewy. If the oven isn’t hot enough, the butter in the pastry might melt before the layers set, resulting in a dense, rather than airy, texture.
• Thaw Puff Pastry Thoughtfully: Frozen puff pastry needs to be thawed gently and completely. The best method is to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to bake. This allows it to thaw gradually, becoming pliable and easy to handle without becoming sticky or tearing. Avoid microwaving, as this can start to cook the butter and ruin the delicate layers.
• Maintain Dough’s Cool Temperature: Puff pastry’s signature flaky layers are created by steam generated from the butter within the dough as it bakes. It’s crucial to keep the dough cold throughout the preparation process. If the butter melts too early (before baking), it will seep out, and you’ll lose that incredible flakiness. Work quickly, and if your kitchen is warm, consider chilling the dough briefly between steps.
• Resist Overfilling: It’s tempting to load up your pastries with as much delicious filling as possible, but this is a common pitfall! Overfilling will cause the cream cheese mixture to overflow during baking, potentially burning on your baking sheet and making the danishes soggy. Stick to the recommended amount – about 2 tablespoons per danish – to ensure perfectly contained, beautiful pastries.
• Utilize a Stand Mixer for Smooth Filling: For the quickest and most evenly blended cream cheese mixture, I highly recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. This ensures a perfectly smooth, lump-free consistency in seconds. A hand mixer can certainly be used as well; it just might require a little more mixing time and elbow grease.
• Avoid Overbaking for Tenderness: This cherry danish recipe bakes quite quickly. Keep a very close eye on your pastries, especially towards the end of the baking time. Remove them from the oven as soon as they have puffed up significantly and turned a lovely light golden brown color. Don’t worry if they seem slightly underdone right out of the oven; they will continue to firm up and set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Always use parchment paper! It prevents sticking, aids in easy transfer of the pastries, and makes cleanup a breeze. Non-stick spray isn’t sufficient for delicate pastries like these.
• Freshness Matters: While convenience is great, opting for high-quality cream cheese and pie filling can truly elevate the taste of your homemade danishes.

Make-Ahead and Preparation Strategies

Planning ahead can make baking these danishes even more convenient. Here’s how you can prepare components in advance:

• The creamy cheese filling is perfectly suited for make-ahead preparation. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• For longer storage, the cream cheese filling can be frozen for up to 1 month. Simply transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
• If you’ve frozen the filling, be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before you plan to bake.
• Crucially, allow the thawed cream cheese filling to come to room temperature before you use it to fill the pastries. This ensures it’s soft enough to spread easily and combines perfectly with the other ingredients in the danish.

Storing and Reheating Your Danishes

While these cherry cheese danishes are undeniably at their peak when enjoyed fresh and warm, you can certainly store leftovers to enjoy later:

• Immediate Enjoyment: For the absolute best experience, serve these danishes shortly after they’ve cooled slightly from the oven. The puff pastry will be at its crispiest and most delicate.
• Room Temperature Storage: If you plan to consume them within the first day, you can store leftover danishes in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Refrigeration for Longer Freshness: For extended freshness, especially due to the cream cheese filling, transfer any remaining danishes to an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3-5 days.
• Reviving the Flakiness: To bring refrigerated or room-temperature danishes back to their best, reheat them gently. Place leftovers in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for a few minutes, or in a preheated oven at the same temperature, just until the puff pastry crisps back up and they are warmed through. Avoid microwaving, as this will make the pastry soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Cheese Danishes

Craving More Cherry Delights?

If you’ve fallen in love with these cherry cheese danishes, you’ll adore these other cherry-inspired recipes:

• Easy Chocolate Cherry Muffins
• Cherry Cheesecake Pie
• Black Forest Smoothie Bowl
• Classic Black Forest Cake