Flaky Cranberry Danish Pastry (Printer-Friendly)
Buttery puff pastry with creamy filling and cranberry topping, perfect for breakfast or festive occasions.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (approximately 9 oz), thawed
02 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
→ Cream Cheese Filling
03 - 5 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Zest of half a lemon
→ Cranberry Filling
07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
→ Glaze
11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
02 - Combine cranberries, sugar, water, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
03 - In a mixing bowl, blend softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12 x 12 inch square. Cut into 8 equal squares.
05 - Place a generous spoonful of cream cheese filling in the center of each pastry square, then top with a teaspoon of cranberry mixture.
06 - Fold two opposite corners of each square toward the center, overlapping slightly, and press gently to seal.
07 - Arrange pastries on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the beaten egg to promote browning.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with enough milk to form a thick glaze. Drizzle the glaze over cooled pastries.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These pastries are deceptively elegant yet surprisingly simple—you'll feel like a professional baker without the stress of laminating dough from scratch.
- The contrast between tangy cream cheese and sweet-tart cranberries is like a flavor surprise in every bite, one that never gets old no matter how many times you make them.
- They're perfect for sharing with people you love, whether it's a quiet Sunday breakfast or impressing guests at a holiday gathering.
02 -
- Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable—if you use it straight from the fridge, you'll spend ten minutes fighting lumps instead of enjoying the process. Give it 30 minutes on the counter and your life becomes easier.
- Don't overfill the pastries. I learned this the hard way when I watched my first batch leak cranberry sauce all over the oven. A heaping spoonful of cream cheese and a teaspoon of filling is the sweet spot that keeps everything contained and delicious.
- Let that cranberry sauce cool completely before assembly. Warm filling will soften the pastry too much and make it harder to fold without tearing.
03 -
- If your puff pastry cracks while rolling, let it rest for a few minutes—the gluten will relax and it becomes cooperative again. Patience always wins in pastry work.
- The cranberry sauce can be made the day before, which takes the stress out of timing and actually improves the flavor as it sits overnight. Same goes for the cream cheese filling.