Cream cheese danishes are one of my go-to desserts whenever I go to bakeries. So when I learned how easy they are to make, I was SO excited. Because that meant I could make them at home whenever I wanted and change up the flavor to my liking. Now I'm sharing this super easy tutorial so you can make them too!
Start things off by making a cream cheese frosting, which requires just four ingredients. The filling is then piped onto store-bought puff pastry and, if desired, topped with fruit. After baking, the heart danishes are lightly dusted with powdered sugar—that's it!
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This recipe couldn't be any easier. Feel free to make it your own by adding different fruits or by flavoring the filling with lemon zest, extracts, jams or powders. You could make matcha danishes, coconut danishes, strawberries danishes... The options are endless!
Video: Cream Cheese & Fruit Pastries
Quick Recipe Overview
SERVINGS: 9 heart danishes
PREP TIME: 45 minutes
BAKE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Part 1: Make cream cheese filling
Things You'll Need
Medium mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer
Hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
Silicone spatula
Scissors
Piping bag
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 to 6 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1. Whip cream cheese
In your medium mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese. Using your hand mixer, beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Use your silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of bowl.
2. Add heavy cream
Add heavy cream and beat until fully combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Again, use your silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of bowl.
3. Mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar
Mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar until cream cheese filling is light, fluffy and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Don't overmix or the filling will become loose. If that happens, add a splash of heavy cream and mix again.
4. Transfer to piping bag
Using your silicone spatula, transfer all of the cream cheese filling to your piping bag. Use scissors to cut a large tip.
Tip
To make transferring easier, prop the piping bag in a cup so it stands upright!
Part 2: Assemble cheese danishes
Things You'll Need
Rolling pin
Baking tray
Parchment paper
Heart cookie cutters (1 slightly bigger than the other)
Pastry brush
Sifter
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Cream cheese filling
Blueberries
Powdered sugar, for sifting
1. Roll out puff pastry
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, gently use a rolling pin to smooth out thawed puff pastry sheet. It doesn't have to be perfect!
2. Cut out heart shapes
Use your larger cookie cutter to cut out hearts from the puff pastry. Transfer to lined baking tray.
3. Add heart indents
Using the smaller cookie cutter, add indents inside the hearts, being careful not to cut all the way through. This helps the middles of the puff pastry sink.
4. Lightly apply egg wash
Lightly add egg wash to the entire heart using your pastry brush. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top.
5. Pipe cream cheese filling
Pipe a layer of cream cheese filling within the indent of the heart.
6. Add blueberries
You can also add blueberries to the cream cheese filling on puff pastry heart. Push berries into the cream cheese to prevent them from falling out while baking in the oven.
7. Bake
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking tray for 5 to 10 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar on top and that's it! Enjoy!
To store danishes, let them fully cool at room temperature. Wrap in plastic and keep in fridge for up to 3 days.