Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes Recipe tastes buttery, flaky, and tangy-sweet from lush cream cheese and vibrant strawberry jam. This suits busy bakers, brunch lovers, and kids-at-heart, and you can make it in about 40 minutes start to finish. I first made a batch for my neighbor’s porch coffee and ended up guarding the plate like a hawk.
Why You Should Try This Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes Recipe
This Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes Recipe gives you bakery-style results without a culinary school tuition. Store-bought puff pastry does the heavy lifting, and the cream cheese filling delivers that classic tang. You get a crisp bite, jammy center, and a glossy finish that looks fancy on any brunch spread.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Puff pastry: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge until pliable but still cold. I like Pepperidge Farm or Dufour. Keep it cold for best lift.
- Cream cheese filling:
- Strawberry layer:
- 1/2 cup good strawberry jam or preserves (Bonne Maman tastes great; any not-too-runny jam works)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced small and patted very dry
- Swap: thawed frozen strawberries, well drained and blotted, or use raspberry jam for a fun switch.
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or cream. For egg-free, brush with milk only.
- Optional sparkle: 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar
- Simple glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Equipment
- Baking sheets, parchment paper, rolling pin, sharp knife or pizza cutter, fork, mixing bowl, hand mixer or sturdy spatula, pastry brush, measuring cups and spoons, cooling rack.
How to Make Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 16–20 minutes
Total: about 40 minutes
- Prep the pastry and oven
- Thaw puff pastry in the fridge until you can unfold it without cracking. Let it sit on the counter 5–10 minutes while you set up. Heat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix the cream cheese filling
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy. Taste and adjust lemon or sugar to your liking.
- Prep the berries
- Dice strawberries small and pat them dry with paper towels. Dry fruit keeps the centers from getting soggy.
- Roll and cut
- Lightly flour your counter. Roll each pastry sheet just enough to even out the folds. Cut each sheet into 9 squares, about 3 inches each, for 18 small danishes total.
- Shape the pastry
- Transfer squares to the baking sheets. Use a knife to lightly score a smaller square about 1/2 inch from the edges, then poke the centers with a fork. This encourages puffy borders and a flat center.
- Fill the centers
- Spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling in the middle of each square. Top with 1 to 2 teaspoons strawberry jam and a few pieces of strawberry.
- Finish the edges
- Brush pastry borders with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like. Keep everything cold and work quickly for best lift.
- Bake
- Bake 16–20 minutes until deep golden and puffed. Rotate the pans halfway for even color.
- Add glaze
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk or lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth and drizzle-friendly. Cool danishes on a rack for 10 minutes, then drizzle the glaze over the warm tops.
- Serve
- Serve warm or at room temp. The pastry stays crisp, the centers taste rich and fruity, and your kitchen smells like a bakery.
Tips & Tricks
- Keep pastry cold; warm dough turns limp and loses lift.
- Pat strawberries very dry to prevent soggy centers.
- Score a border and dock the centers so the edges puff and the middle stays flat.
- Don’t overload the filling; a tablespoon of cream cheese and a small spoon of jam per square tastes balanced.
- Use a pizza cutter for quick, clean cuts.
- Bake on parchment for easy release and tidy glaze drips.
- Want extra shine without glaze? Brush hot danishes with a little warmed jam.
What to Serve with Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes
Pair these with hot coffee, black tea, or a citrusy iced tea to cut the richness. Add a bowl of Greek yogurt and fresh berries for a brunch plate that hits every note. Savory sides like soft-scrambled eggs or crispy bacon balance the sweetness. A squeeze of lemon over sliced strawberries on the side ties everything together.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Unbaked: Assemble and chill the sheet pan, loosely covered, for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge and add 1–2 minutes if needed.
- Freeze unbaked: Freeze shaped, filled danishes on a tray until firm, then bag for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 400°F and add 3–5 minutes.
- Baked: Store at room temp for 1 day in a lightly vented container, or refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a 325°F oven or toaster oven for 6–10 minutes until crisp. Skip the microwave to keep the layers flaky.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per small danish (1 of 18): 260 calories; 16 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 24 g carbs; 11 g sugars; 3 g protein; 1 g fiber; 160 mg sodium.
Numbers vary based on brand of puff pastry, amount of jam, and glaze thickness.
Strawb Puff Pastry Danishes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured surface and cut into squares.
- Place a teaspoon of cream cheese and strawberry jam in the center of each square.
- Fold corners of the pastry squares to the center, pinching to seal.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool and dust with powdered sugar if desired.