Strawberry Danish (Printable)
Buttery puff pastry filled with cream cheese and glazed strawberries; golden, flaky treats for breakfast or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (approximately 8.8 ounces), thawed if frozen
→ Cream Cheese Filling
02 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
→ Strawberry Filling
06 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
07 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
→ Egg Wash
10 - 1 large egg, beaten
11 - 1 tablespoon milk
→ Optional Glaze
12 - ¾ cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
14 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, toss diced strawberries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
04 - Roll out puff pastry sheet and cut into 8 equal squares. Score a ½-inch border around each square, being careful not to cut all the way through.
05 - Place 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling in the center of each square and spread gently within the scored border.
06 - Spoon 1 tablespoon strawberry mixture over the cream cheese layer on each square.
07 - Combine beaten egg with milk and brush the pastry borders with this egg wash.
08 - Bake 18–22 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack.
09 - For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over cooled pastries if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- Using store-bought puff pastry means you can have bakery-level results without mastering lamination.
- The layers of creamy cheese and juicy strawberries create a bite that feels both decadent and comforting.
02 -
- If your puff pastry gets too warm, it won&apo;t rise as dramatically—pop it back in the fridge if it gets sticky.
- Glazing while the Danishes are too hot melts the icing into a puddle—wait until they&apo;re barely warm for ideal drizzling.
03 -
- Don&apo;t overfill—the filling will bubble and spill over if you get too generous.
- Cut all your pastry squares before adding filling so you can work quickly and keep everything cold.