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Easy Strawberry Danish Recipe with Cream Cheese and Puff Pastry

Easy Strawberry Danish Recipe

Flaky puff pastry is filled with sweet vanilla cream cheese and fresh strawberries, then baked until deeply golden and finished with a light glaze. This shortcut Danish recipe makes eight impressive pastries with very little preparation.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pastry and Filling
  • 1 sheet, about 8 ounces (225 g) Frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold
  • 4 ounces (113 g) Cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Egg Wash
  • 1 large Large egg
  • 1 tablespoon Water
Glaze
  • 1/2 cup (60 g) Powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons Milk or lemon juice

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions, keeping it cold rather than letting it become soft or sticky. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Stir the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and flour together until smooth. Hull and thinly slice the strawberries, then gently pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
  3. Cut the puff pastry into 8 equal squares and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly score a smaller square inside each piece, leaving about a 1/2-inch border, while taking care not to cut all the way through.
  4. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream-cheese mixture into the center of each pastry square. Place a few strawberry slices over the filling, keeping the pastry borders clear.
  5. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make the egg wash. Brush it over the exposed pastry borders, avoiding the cream cheese and berries.
  6. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the puff pastry is fully puffed and deeply golden and the filling is set. If the assembled pastries feel warm or limp, refrigerate them for 10–15 minutes before baking.
  7. Cool the baked Danish pastries for at least 10 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar with 1–2 tablespoons of milk or lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle the glaze over the cooled pastries.

Notes

Keep the puff pastry cold throughout shaping for the flakiest layers. Pat strawberries dry and avoid overfilling to help prevent a soggy bottom. For a stronger strawberry flavor, spread about 1 teaspoon of strawberry preserves over each cream-cheese center before adding the fresh berries.