Listen up, my pastry-loving friends! Do you crave those melt-in-your-mouth cheese danishes from your favorite bakery, but don’t have the time or budget to indulge whenever a craving strikes? Well, I’ve got your back. Today I’m sharing my easy cherry cheese danish recipe that will bring the bakery right to your kitchen.
These sweet and buttery puff pastry bundles are a cinch to whip up and make for a fab breakfast treat or decadent dessert. I love to bake them into heart shapes for Valentine’s day or just because. The flaky golden crust cradles a luscious cream cheese filling studded with tart cherries that positively melt over your tongue. pure bliss!
Now, store-bought puff pastry makes these a snap to assemble. No need to labor over fancy folding techniques. Just roll, fill, and bake for pastry perfection. The cream cheese filling comes together in minutes in your mixer then chills while you prep the puff pastry.
When constructing your masterpieces, be sure not to overfill so your precious cargo doesn’t ooze out. Oh, and do prick the puff pastry with a fork before baking to allow steam to escape. This helps the pastry puff spectacularly as it bakes. I like to poke holes in a heart shape because, well, adorable!
Once your danishes are stuffed, topped with shiny cherries, and chilling out in the fridge, preheat your oven. After a short bake, pull out flaky, golden brown pastries any bakery would be proud of! Let cool just long enough so you don’t burn your mouth on melty cherries. Trust me, it’s hard to wait when your kitchen smells like a European patisserie!
So don’t let intimidation or lack of time stop you from enjoying fresh, homemade danishes. With my easy recipe, you can be the queen of hearts in your kitchen. Now off you go to bake something beautiful!
Cherry Cheese Danish Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sheets store-bought puff pastry, thawed
- 4oz cream cheese (go for the good stuff!), softened
- 1⁄4 cup sugar (I use organic cane)
- 1 egg yolk from a local farm (support sustainable agriculture, y’all)
- 1 Tbsp ricotta cheese (part-skim is A-OK)
- 1⁄2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla if that’s your jam)
- Pinch of sea salt (any will do)
- Zest from 1⁄2 lemon (organic preferred)
- 1 can cherry pie filling (I like Oregon Fruit)
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
- Flour for dusting (whole wheat works too)
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter (because adorable!)
Adorable Assembly
- Thaw that puff pastry until smooth and pliable, dolls. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper – makes cleanup a breeze.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk, ricotta, almond extract, salt, and lemon zest. Cover and chill in the icebox.
- Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out each puff pastry sheet into a 10×10” square. Use your precious heart cookie cutter to cut out shapes, then transfer them to the baking sheets. Prick the hearts all over with a fork – this helps them puff spectacularly as they bake!
- Divide the cream cheese mixture among the hearts, topping each with 1 heaping Tbsp. Spoon cherry pie filling over the top, about 4-5 cherries per heart. Brush the puff pastry edges with the egg wash mixture.
- Chill pastries for 15 minutes to firm up before baking. This helps the filling set up so it doesn’t ooze out and make a mess. But it’s all part of their rustic charm!
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown perfection. Let cool just enough so you don’t burn your mouth on melty cherries when you dig in!
