Mini cherry cheese Danishes are flaky, creamy, and just sweet enough—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a quick dessert. Using store-bought puff pastry keeps them easy while still tasting bakery-quality.
🍒 Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
For the cream cheese filling:
- 225g (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
For the topping:
- 1 cup cherry pie filling
For egg wash:
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp water
Optional glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
🥐 Instructions
1. Prep pastry
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out puff pastry slightly and cut into 9–12 squares.
2. Shape
Place squares on a lined baking sheet. Lightly score a smaller square inside each piece (don’t cut all the way through). This creates a border that puffs up.
3. Make filling
Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk until smooth.
4. Assemble
Spoon a little cream cheese filling into the center of each square. Top with a spoonful of cherry filling.
5. Egg wash
Brush the edges with egg wash for a golden finish.
6. Bake
Bake 15–18 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
7. Glaze (optional)
Drizzle with a simple glaze once slightly cooled.
✨ Tips
- Keep the puff pastry cold—this helps it rise into flaky layers.
- Don’t overfill or the centers can spill over.
- Try other fillings like blueberry, apple, or even lemon curd for variety.
- A sprinkle of sliced almonds on top adds a nice crunch.
If you want, I can show you how to make a from-scratch Danish dough, a savory version, or a creamier bakery-style filling like what you’d get at Starbucks.