Here’s a simple and delicious recipe for Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes – buttery, flaky, creamy, and fruity pastries that are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
🍒 Mini Cherry Cheese Danishes
🧾 Ingredients
🥐 For the pastry:
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1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (store-bought is fine)
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1 egg (for egg wash)
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1 tbsp water
🧀 For the cream cheese filling:
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225g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Zest of 1 lemon (optional, but adds brightness)
🍒 For the cherry topping:
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1 cup cherry pie filling (store-bought or homemade)
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OR: use fresh pitted cherries simmered with sugar & cornstarch (see below)
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🍬 Optional glaze:
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1/2 cup powdered sugar
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1–2 tsp milk
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1/4 tsp vanilla extract
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Preheat the oven:
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Set to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the cheese filling:
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In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3. Cut the puff pastry:
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Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface.
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Cut into 9–12 equal squares (depending on how mini you want them).
4. Shape the danishes:
You can shape them 3 easy ways:
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Classic square: Add filling to center and fold in corners.
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Twist: Fold opposite corners over the filling (like an envelope).
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Tart style: Press into mini muffin tins and fill the centers.
5. Add fillings:
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Spoon about 1 tsp cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry.
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Add ½–1 tsp cherry pie filling on top.
6. Brush with egg wash:
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Mix the egg and water, and brush the pastry edges.
7. Bake:
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Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
8. Cool & glaze:
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Let cool slightly on a rack.
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Drizzle with optional glaze made by mixing powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little milk.
🍒 Want to make homemade cherry topping?
Easy Cherry Filling:
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1 cup fresh or frozen pitted cherries
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2 tbsp sugar
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1 tsp lemon juice
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1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water (mixed into a slurry)
Instructions:
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Simmer cherries and sugar until soft.
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Add lemon juice.
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Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened.
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Cool before using.
🧊 Storage:
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Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days.
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Reheat in oven or air fryer to crisp up.
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Can be frozen (without glaze) for 1 month.