Cranberry Cream Cheese Danish (Printer-Friendly)
Buttery puff pastry filled with tangy cranberry sauce and smooth cream cheese for a perfect breakfast or treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet (8.8 oz) puff pastry, thawed
→ Cream Cheese Filling
02 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cranberry Sauce
05 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Glaze
08 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
09 - 1–2 teaspoons milk
→ Garnish
10 - 1 egg, beaten (optional for egg wash)
11 - Zest of 1 orange (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
02 - Combine cranberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst and thickened. Remove from heat and cool.
03 - In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Unroll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 rectangles.
05 - Transfer rectangles to the baking sheet and score a 1/2-inch border around each without cutting through the base.
06 - Optionally brush the scored borders with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
07 - Spoon 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each rectangle, spreading gently within the border. Top with 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and puffed.
09 - While pastries cool, whisk powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze. Drizzle over cooled pastries and garnish with orange zest if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This flaky, buttery treat feels like a little secret celebration baked into every bite
- The creamy and tart combo of cream cheese and cranberry sauce quickly became my favorite holiday morning indulgence
02 -
- Don't rush thawing the puff pastry or it won't puff properly in the oven
- Scoring the border just right makes the filling stay put without leaking during baking, a game changer for presentation
03 -
- Use cold utensils when handling puff pastry to keep it from warming and sticking
- Adding a little orange zest to the cream cheese filling enhances the citrus contrast beautifully