Strawberry Danish Pastry (Printable)

Buttery, flaky danish with cream cheese and glazed strawberries, ready in 45 minutes for breakfast or dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 9 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 finely grated lemon zest

→ Strawberry Filling

06 - 1 and 1/2 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 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, mix 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. Set aside.
04 - Roll out the puff pastry sheet and cut into 8 even squares. Score a 1/2-inch border around each square, taking care not to cut all the way through.
05 - Place 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of each square and gently spread within the border. Top with 1 tablespoon of the strawberry mixture.
06 - Brush the pastry borders with egg wash made from the beaten egg and milk.
07 - Transfer to the prepared baking tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
08 - Allow pastries to cool slightly on a wire rack before glazing.
09 - For the optional glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over cooled pastries if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It’s the kind of pastry that tastes bakery-fancy, but you&ll make it faster than your coffee cools.
  • The juicy strawberry topping and creamy cheese center win over breakfast skeptics every time I&ve shared these.
02 -
  • Underbaked pastry bottoms are a tragedy I learned the hard way; always check the little edges for crispness underneath before removing from the oven.
  • Scoring the pastry border is not just for looks—it's the secret to those dramatic, puffy rims.
03 -
  • Let the pastries cool five minutes before glazing, or the drizzle will simply slide off.
  • If you accidentally overfill, just pinch the corners up a little—it’ll still look beautiful and taste fantastic.

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