Description
This Cherry Cream Cheese Danish with Almond Flakes is the ultimate bakery-style pastry you can make at home in under 30 minutes. With buttery puff pastry, a rich vanilla cream cheese filling, juicy cherry compote, and crunchy almond flakes, it’s the perfect brunch centerpiece or dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
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1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
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1 egg + 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
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Sliced almonds (for topping)
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Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
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8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
For the Cherry Layer:
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½ cup cherry pie filling
(or homemade: simmer 1 cup pitted cherries with 2 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp lemon juice)
Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Puff Pastry
• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut thawed puff pastry into 4 large or 6 smaller rectangles.
2️⃣ Make the Cream Cheese Filling
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy.
3️⃣ Assemble the Danish
• Spoon 1 tbsp cream cheese filling into the center of each rectangle.
• Top with 1 tbsp cherry filling.
• Fold or layer with another rectangle, if desired.
• Crimp edges with a fork to seal.
4️⃣ Add Toppings
• Brush with egg wash.
• Sprinkle sliced almonds generously on top.
5️⃣ Bake
• Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
• Let cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar.
Notes
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For best results, keep puff pastry cold until baking time. Warm dough can become sticky and lose flakiness.
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You can swap cherry pie filling for blueberry, raspberry, or peach compote.
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Add orange or lemon zest to the cream cheese layer for extra brightness.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 4 days.
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Reheat in the oven at 300°F for 6–7 minutes to restore crispness. Avoid microwaving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 danish
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
Keywords: cherry danish, cream cheese pastry, brunch dessert, cherry puff pastry, almond pastry, easy danish recipe, flaky cherry dessert