Strawberry Danish (Printable)

Buttery puff pastry squares with cream cheese and sweet strawberries, baked golden and drizzled with a vanilla glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (approximately 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 grated lemon zest

→ Strawberry Filling

06 - 1½ 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 - ¾ cup powdered sugar
13 - 2–3 teaspoons milk
14 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
03 - In another bowl, combine diced strawberries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Mix gently and set aside.
04 - Roll out the puff pastry and divide it into 8 even squares. Score a ½-inch border around each square without cutting through.
05 - Distribute 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each pastry square, spreading gently inside the scored border.
06 - Spoon 1 tablespoon of strawberry filling over the cream cheese layer on each square.
07 - Brush the borders of the pastry squares with beaten egg mixed with milk for a golden finish.
08 - Transfer the filled pastry squares to the prepared tray and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until puffed and deeply golden.
09 - Remove from the oven and allow pastries to cool slightly on a wire rack.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled pastries if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Leaning in close, you’ll notice the sweet cheese and strawberries meld into pockets of happiness with each bite.
  • It’s the kind of treat that seems fancy but is secretly quick to bring together, earning you kitchen applause with minimal fuss.
02 -
  • If you pile on too much filling, your pastry might burst and bubble over—less is sometimes more here.
  • Letting the baked Danishes cool for just five minutes means you won’t burn your mouth—learned that one personally!
03 -
  • Chill your tools and pastry for ultimate flakiness; warmth is the enemy of puff pastry.
  • Don’t be shy with the lemon zest—it really wakes up the cheese filling and fruit.

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