Cherry danish is a buttery and flaky pastry made with puff pastry, a creamy sweetened cream cheese filling and cherry pie filling. These easy to make cherry cheese danishes are the perfect quick and simple, melt in your mouth breakfast or dessert.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I adore making desserts and breakfast treats with puff pastry. After making my Strawberry Danish, Peach Turnovers, Blueberry Turnovers and Cherry Turnovers I just knew I needed to make more recipes using fruit and puff pastry. I am so excited to add this cherry danish recipe to the blog. I know you’ll love it because:
- You need a quick and decadent breakfast or dessert. Whether you are looking for a sweet and delicious dessert or a need an easy and fancy breakfast idea, these cherry pie cream danishes are the perfect baked treat.
- Easy to make with layers of flavor. These cherry puff pastry danishes use just 7 simple ingredients to make. All you have to do is assemble, bake and enjoy.
Ingredients
This easy and delicious cream cheese cherry danish recipe requires only a handful of ingredients to make. Here’s what you need.
- Cream Cheese Filling: Gather cream cheese, vanilla extract, almond extract and sugar.
- Puff Pastry: Gather store bought or homemade puff pastry sheets, cherry pie filling, an egg and sugar for topping.
Substitutions
These cherry and cream cheese danish pastries are meant to be quick, easy and delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this danish recipe if you need them.
- Cream Cheese: A block of Philadelphia cream cheese is my preferred cream cheese for everything from dips to cheesecakes. Mascarpone cheese is a good alternative to the cream cheese.
- Sugar: This is used to sweeten the cream cheese filling. Feel free to use your preferred granulated sugar or powdered sugar alternative such as Lakanto.
- Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: This is purely for flavor and to enhance the flavors of the cherry pie filling and cream cheese.
- Puff Pastry Sheets: Feel free to use homemade puff pastry if you like. I love using store bought puff pastry sheets. Make this cherry danish recipe gluten free by using gluten free puff pastry.
- Egg: An egg wash brushed on the cherry pie puff pastry danishes creates a lovely golden brown color after baking. Feel free to omit if needed.
Variations
- Homemade Cherry Pie Filling: If you prefer to skip the canned cherry pie filling, mix 2 ½ - 3 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, 4 tablespoons (60 ml) water, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and then to a low boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and cook the cherry mixture over a low boil for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and is glossy and shiny. Cool completely before using in the cherry turnovers.
- Air Fryer: Prepare the danishes as written in the recipe. Place 2 - 4 danishes in the basket a preheated air fryer. Cook the danishes at 325 F for 8 - 10 minutes. They’re done when the crust is golden brown and puffed up.
- Cherry Danish without Cream Cheese: To make this cherry danish recipe without cream cheese, simply omit the cream cheese filling. Prepare the puff pastry as written in the recipe. Prick or “dock” the interior rectangle with a fork. Top with 2 - 3 tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Braided Cherry Danish: Rather than cutting one pastry “sheet” into 6 smaller rectangles, use the sheet to create one larger braided cherry pie danish. Prepare the puff pastry by rolling out the pastry to roughly 10 x 16 inches. Imagine dividing the pastry into thirds. Spread the cream cheese along the center of the danish, leaving a 1 inch boarder at the top and bottom. Top with the pie filling. Start with one of the outer rectangles. Diagonally cut 1 inch slits. Braid the strips in towards the center to cover the filling. Bake as directed in the recipe.
How To Make
Learn how to make cherry danishes in a few easy steps.
- Make sure to pull the puff pastry to thaw at room temperature for about 30 - 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, mix the room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the flavor as needed.
- Unfold one sheet of puff pastry to form a square. Cut the puff pastry along the folded lines. Cut each of the long rectangles in half in the center to form two smaller rectangles of puff pastry. There should be six smaller rectangles total. With a small pairing knife, score or gently cut into the dough, but not all the way through a boarder about ¼ inch from the edges of the puff pastry rectangle. If the dough is getting sticky, transfer to the fridge for 15 minutes.
3. Smooth 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cream cheese filling into the center of the puff pastry. Stay inside the borders of the smaller rectangle. Top the cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Lightly brush the edges of the puff pastry with the lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle the entire danish with sugar if you like. Bake the cherry cream cheese danish for 15 - 18 minutes or until the pastries are a light golden brown color. Cool the cherry cheese danish on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Transfer any leftover cherry puff pastry danishes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days. Cherry cream cheese danishes are fine to enjoy at room temperature within 2 - 3 hours after baking.
- Freeze: I do not recommend freezing these cream cheese and cherry puff pastries. The texture of the cherry filling after thawing won’t be the same. However, if you want to try, flash freeze completely cooled danishes on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container to store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: Remove the frozen danishes from the freezer to thaw at room temperature for an hour or in the fridge for a few hours. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.
M’s Expert Tips
- Prepare the pastries on the baking sheet. This is the easiest way to ensure the pastries stay intact. Transfer to the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes if the pastry dough becomes sticky.
- Don’t overfill the puff pastry. 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons of cream cheese filling and 2 tablespoons cherry pie filling is the perfect amount for these cherry puff pastry danishes. Any more cream cheese or cherry filling will make it difficult for the puff pastry dough to hold and puff up while baking.
- Use a cookie scoop. Using a small, 1 tablespoon cookie scoop makes adding the filling to the puff pastries super quick and easy. A medium, 2 tablespoon cookie scoop is the perfect size for scooping the cherry pie filling onto the cream cheese.
FAQs
Yes, this recipe for cherry cream cheese danishes can be made the night before. Simply prepare and bake them according the recipe directions. Cool completely to room temperature. Then store them covered in the fridge overnight. Then reheat them in the oven the next day.
Most boxes of store bought puff pastry give thawing directions. Follow the directions listed on the box. Typically puff pastry is removed from the freezer to sit out at room temperature for 45 - 60 minutes.
Rewarm the cherry danish in the oven at 300 F (150 C) for 5 minutes.
Other Cherry Recipes To Try
If you try this Cherry Danish recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Cherry Danish Recipe
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 small cookie scoop (1 tbsp, 15 ml)
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 g) sugar to taste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 21 oz. canned cherry pie filling
- ½ cup sliced almonds for topping, optional
Instructions
- Make sure to pull the puff pastry to thaw at room temperature for about 30 - 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the flavor as needed.8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature, 2 - 4 tablespoons (25 - 50 g) sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Unfold one sheet of puff pastry to form a square. Cut the puff pastry along the folded lines. Cut each of the long rectangles in half in the center to form two smaller rectangles of puff pastry. There should be six smaller rectangles total. With a small pairing knife, score or gently cut into the dough, but not all the way through a boarder about ¼ inch from the edges of the puff pastry rectangle. If the dough is getting sticky, transfer to the fridge for 15 minutes.2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- Smooth 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cream cheese filling into the center of the puff pastry. Stay inside the borders of the smaller rectangle. Top the cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling. Lightly brush the edges of the puff pastry with the lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle the entire danish with sugar if you like.1 21 oz. canned cherry pie filling , ½ cup sliced almonds for topping, optional
- Bake the cherry cream cheese danish for 15 - 18 minutes or until the pastries are a light golden brown color. Cool the cherry cheese danish on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature and enjoy.
Diane says
When do o add sliced almonds?
Megan says
Hi Diane,
If you would like to top these cherry danishes with sliced almonds, I would add them right after the cherry filling.