Strawberry Danishes with Puff Pastry (Print View)

Buttery puff pastry filled with sweetened cream cheese and fresh strawberries, baked until golden and flaky.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (approximately 8.8 oz), thawed

→ Cream Cheese Filling

02 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

→ Strawberry Topping

06 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
07 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

→ Egg Wash

09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Glaze

11 - ½ cup powdered sugar
12 - 1-2 teaspoons milk
13 - ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Beat until smooth and creamy.
03 - In a separate bowl, toss sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and lemon juice. Set aside to macerate.
04 - Roll out thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 8 equal squares, approximately 4x4 inches each.
05 - Place squares on prepared baking sheet. Score a smaller square inside each piece, leaving a ½-inch border, being careful not to cut through completely. Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling into the center of each scored square.
06 - Arrange strawberry slices over the cream cheese filling, staying within the scored borders.
07 - Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl. Brush the pastry edges lightly with the egg wash.
08 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and puffed. The edges should be crisp and deeply golden.
09 - While danishes cool slightly, whisk powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoons milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
10 - Drizzle glaze over cooled danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between crisp, flaky pastry and cool cream cheese filling makes each bite feel like a special occasion
  • They come together faster than you would think possible for something that looks bakery beautiful
  • You can customize the fruit based on whatever looks best at the market that morning
02 -
  • Keep the puff pastry cold while working with it or the butter layers will melt and you will lose those gorgeous flaky layers
  • The scored border creates that beautiful raised edge but do not cut all the way through or your filling will leak out
  • These are absolutely best the day they are made but you can reheat leftover ones briefly in the oven to recrisp the pastry
03 -
  • Freeze your baking sheet for 15 minutes before assembling to help the puff pastry keep its shape in the oven
  • For extra shine, brush warm apricot jam over the strawberries immediately after they come out of the oven

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