Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes Recipe
Delight in these charming Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes, featuring flaky puff pastry filled with a smooth, sweetened cream cheese mixture and topped with fresh diced strawberries. Perfect for a festive breakfast or a delightful dessert, these danishes combine crisp pastry edges with a creamy, fruity interior, all baked to golden perfection.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (including thawing time preparation)
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 danishes 1x
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Danish Ingredients
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed (substitute: two sheets of crescent roll dough, texture differs)
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (substitute: dairy-free cream cheese for vegan or dairy-free option)
- 2 tbsp white sugar (substitute: powdered sugar for a smoother filling)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Red food coloring (optional, a drop or two to tint the filling)
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries (fresh is best; if using frozen, thaw and drain)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Prepare dough and preheat oven: Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions, typically 30–60 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the filling: In a bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add a drop of red food coloring if desired to create a soft pink hue. Fold in half of the diced strawberries for incorporated fruit flavor, reserving the rest for topping.
- Cut the pastry hearts: On a lightly floured surface, unfold and gently roll out the thawed pastry to smooth creases. Use a 3–4 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts; you should get about 4 hearts from the sheet. Create a rim by either pressing lightly in the center with a smaller heart cutter without cutting through or by scoring a 1/2-inch border around each heart without cutting through.
- Fill the danishes: Spoon or pipe 1–2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each heart, making sure to stay inside the rim or border. Top each with the remaining diced strawberries, being careful not to overfill so the pastry can puff properly.
- Apply egg wash: Whisk together the egg and cold water. Lightly brush the exposed pastry edges with this egg wash for a glossy, golden finish, taking care not to let any wash drip onto the filling.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet on the oven’s middle rack and bake for 12–15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, puffed, and the filling is set. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots to ensure even baking.
- Cool and serve: Allow the danishes to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple glaze made from 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1–2 tablespoons milk once slightly cooled for extra sweetness.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry cold until right before cutting to ensure it puffs properly during baking.
- Using room-temperature cream cheese results in a smoother, silkier filling and blends more easily with sugar and vanilla.
- If using frozen strawberries, make sure to thaw and drain them well to avoid excess moisture in the filling and pastry.
- To make the glaze, adjust milk quantity to achieve desired consistency; use dairy-free milk for vegan variation.
Keywords: strawberry cream cheese danish, puff pastry danish, heart-shaped pastries, breakfast pastries, cream cheese filling
