Cream Cheese Berry Danish

This Cream Cheese Berry Danish recipe is incredibly simple to prepare! Store-bought puff pastry is filled with a rich blackberry cheesecake-like filling, then baked until golden brown. It’s topped with lemon-vanilla icing, making it decadent enough for dessert yet light enough for breakfast or brunch.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy: You’ll be surprised at how easily a recipe like this comes together. Puff pastry makes everything much more forgiving and less time-consuming! 
• Flaky: Each bite is full of tender and flaky crust layers mixed with sweet, creamy, and juicy fillings. This combination is such a crowd-pleaser!
• Customizable: Prepare your own dough, swap out the berries for different fruits, or even make a gluten-free version. There are so many ways to make this recipe your own!

Watch How To Make Cream Cheese Berry Danish

Easy cream cheese berry Danish

If you’re a dessert-for-breakfast person, I have a feeling you’re going to love this Cream Cheese Berry Danish recipe! It’s the perfect way to use up fresh berries and wow your family and friends in the meantime.

Typically, Danishes start off with sweetened yeast dough. It’s then filled or topped with various fruits, nuts, or cheese. The end result is completely irresistible!

I wanted to highlight traditional Danish flavors in this recipe, which is why I opted for blackberries and cream cheese. The combo is sweet, juicy, tangy, and smooth.

If you’re not much of a baker, I assure you this recipe is forgiving (even for beginners)! Forget making dough from scratch when puff pastry works just as well. It not only cuts down on prep time, but it makes the whole process much easier.

Once they are done baking, serve your Danishes as a sweet breakfast, a quick snack, or a light dessert. The choice is yours!

Ingredients & substitutions

• Puff pastry: To save time and hassle, I recommend store-bought puff pastry. If you’d like, you can try making homemade dough. Just make sure to thaw it before starting.
• Egg wash: Use a large egg and a touch of water for the egg wash. If you need an egg-free option, opt for melted butter, milk, vegetable oil, honey, or maple syrup.
• Turbinado sugar: I prefer to top my Danishes with a sprinkling of turbinado sugar for a little crunch. You can also use muscovado for a similar effect.
• Cream cheese: For a rich, cheesecake-like filling, go for full-fat cream cheese. Bring it to room temperature to make mixing easier.
• Sugar: To sweeten the cream cheese and blackberries, regular granulated sugar works perfectly! If you’d prefer, you can use cane sugar.
• Vanilla extract: Opt for real vanilla extract — it’s always worth the splurge!
• Lemon zest: Essential oils found in the peel offer intense citrusy notes that add a pop of bright flavor! Don’t forget to wash your lemons before zesting them.
• Blackberries: I added fresh blackberries for bursts of juicy, sweet, and tart notes. For a sweeter option, blueberries, strawberries, or peaches are delicious. For even more tartness, use raspberries!
• Lemon juice: Provides a sweet acidity, which brightens the Danishes. I suggest freshly squeezed lemon juice, but lemon juice from concentrate will work in a pinch.
• Powdered sugar: For the lemon-vanilla icing. If you don’t have icing sugar on hand, make your own by blending granulated sugar with a bit of cornstarch.

How to make cream cheese blackberry Danishes

1. Prep the ingredients: Defrost the puff pastry on the counter for about 15-30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make the cream cheese filling: Add the softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl with the sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Thoroughly mix them together with a fork. It’s important to let the cream cheese soften so the other ingredients evenly incorporate.
3. Cut the puff pastry: Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface. Add the puff pastry and roll it out a bit, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 6 equal rectangles.
4. Score the rectangles: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then add the puff pastry rectangles. Using a knife, score the pastries, ensuring you don’t cut all the way through. Poke the inside of the pastry a few times with a fork, which prevents it from puffing up too much.
5. Make the berry filling: In a small bowl, gently toss the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice together. Or substitute for your favorite fresh berries.
6. Fill the dough: Add a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of each pastry rectangle followed by the blackberry filling.
7. Make the egg wash: Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush it along the edges of the pastry. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the edges as well.
8. Bake the Danishes: Add the pan to the oven and bake the pastries until the edges are golden. Once they are done, let them cool on a wire rack.
9. Mix the icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Once your Cream Cheese Berry Danishes have cooled, drizzle on the icing!

Serving suggestions

You can enjoy your Cream Cheese Berry Danish on its own (much like you would a toaster strudel), but why not make a full brunch spread? Try it with Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Italian Baked Eggs and Sausage, Low Carb Keto Everything Bagels, and an easy Crepe Recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Storage & reheating

If you’re not able to finish all of the pastries, just follow these simple storage tips:

• Room temperature: Once cooled, store Cream Cheese Berry Danishes in an airtight container where they will stay fresh for up to 1-2 days.
• Fridge: To preserve them longer, refrigerate your Danishes for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer: Wrap each of the Danishes individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: Thaw the Danishes in the fridge overnight, then warm them up when you’re ready to eat them again.
• Reheat: You can bring your Danishes to room temperature by leaving them on the countertop for 30 minutes before eating. Alternatively, microwave them or heat them in the oven for a minute or two, or until warmed to your liking.

Variations

• Fruit: Switch up the fruit by using strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, blueberries, peaches, or cherries.
• Classic: Fill your Danish with almond paste and top it with powdered sugar for a traditional version.
• Chocolate: For a rich and indulgent dessert, fill your Danish with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate.
• Savory: Instead of sweet, experiment with savory Danish fillings like feta and cream cheese. Try sprinkling different herbs and spices for added flavors.

Top tips

• Cold ingredients: Once the puff pastry thaws, keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. This will help ensure an ultra-flaky texture once baked. 
• Cool before eating: Although it’s tempting to eat them right away, it’s best to wait until the Danishes cool to room temperature so the filling has time to set.
• Sharp knife: For precise cuts of the pastry dough, use a sharp knife. This will make the entire process much smoother. 
• Don’t over-handle the dough: Try not to work the dough too much since it will become tough and lose its flakiness.

Looking for more sweet breakfast recipes?

If you enjoyed this Cream Cheese Berry Danish recipe, be sure to check out some more sweet breakfasts and desserts like these:

• Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles
• Easy Cheese Danish
• Air Fryer Yogurt Custard Toast
• Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

If you try this Cream Cheese Berry Danish recipe, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!

Cream Cheese Berry Danish

4.4 from 19 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Resting Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 32 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lena Gladstone

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This Cream Cheese Berry Danish recipe is incredibly simple to prepare! Store-bought puff pastry is filled with a rich blackberry cheesecake-like filling, then baked until golden brown.

Equipment

• 1 baking sheet
• 1 parchment paper
• 1 rolling pin
• 1 chef's knife

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large egg, for egg wash
• 1 teaspoons water, for egg wash
• 1 ½ tablespoons  turbinado sugar, for topping

Cream Cheese Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Berry Filling

• 1 ½ cups blackberries, fresh or use other berries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Lemon Vanilla Icing

• ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Thaw the puff pastry on the counter for about 15-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Make the cream cheese filling by adding the softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl, add the sugar, and vanilla, and mix with a fork until well incorporated. Set aside.
• When dough is defrosted, sprinkle some flour on your clean counter, add the puff pastry and roll it out a bit, then using a sharp knife, cut it inot 6 equal rectangles.
• Add parchment paper to a baking sheet, add the cut puff pastry, then using a knife, score a cut leaving ½ inch border inside the pastry, but make sure not to cut all the way through. Using a fork, poke a few times inside the pastry, this helps the pastry not to puff up.
• Add a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of the pastry in all 6 pieces.
• In a small bowl, add the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice and gently toss them together. Add the blackberry filling on top of the cream cheese filling.
• Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash along the edges of the pastry. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the edges.
• Bake the pastries for 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the pastry are golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
• Make the lemon-vanilla icing by adding the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into a small bowl, whisking it together, then drizzling over the pastries once they are a bit cooler. Enjoy.

Video

Notes

Storage & reheating

If you’re not able to finish all of the pastries, just follow these simple storage tips:

• Room temperature: Once cooled, store Cream Cheese Berry Danishes in an airtight container where they will stay fresh for up to 1-2 days.
• Fridge: To preserve them longer, refrigerate your Danishes for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer: Wrap each of the Danishes individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: Thaw the Danishes in the fridge overnight, then warm them up when you’re ready to eat them again.
• Reheat: You can bring your Danishes to room temperature by leaving them on the countertop for 30 minutes before eating. Alternatively, microwave them or heat them in the oven for a minute or two, or until warmed to your liking.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Austrian

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: breakfast pastry, cream cheese berry Danish, Danish, homemade pastry, how to make a Danish, puff pastry Danish

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg