This post is sponsored by Lucky Leaf. All opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.
This easy cherry Danish is the perfect breakfast or dessert! Sweet vanilla and almond cream cheese filling spread over crunchy puff pastry and topped with real cherry fruit filling and almonds.
There are a lot of things I love but one of my favorites is a breakfast or dessert Danish.
Especially when that Danish is made simply using Lucky Leaf cherry fruit filling!
I’m sure you remember last month when I made my Apple Pie Filling Coffee Cake and last year when I made my Apple Pie Baked French Toast? Well, those were made with Lucky Leaf canned fruit filling, and I’m here again to give you another stellar recipe!
I made this recipe simple by using frozen puff pastry, which bakes up crispy, golden, and buttery. It’s honestly the perfect base for this recipe!
You could easily eat this for breakfast, or it could make a fabulous dessert!
In fact, topping this with whipped cream or ice cream would push this cherry cream cheese Danish right over the dessert edge!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for easy cherry Danish
- Cream cheese – This is the cream filling base of the Danish.
- Granulated sugar – I added just a touch to give the filling a touch of sweetness. Feel free to use brown sugar in its place for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Adding vanilla exact or vanilla bean paste pairs perfectly with the cherry.
- Almond extract – Just a touch to pop in some added nutty flavor.
- Puff pastry – You can find puff pastry at more grocery stores in the frozen dessert section.
- Cherry fruit filling – I’m using Lucky Leaf premium cherry fruit filling for its fresh and juicy cherry flavor.
- Sliced almonds – I’m using thinly sliced almonds, but you could also use slivered or finely chopped almonds.
- Heavy cream – This is used to brush around the edges of the puff pastry to make the Danish golden brown and beautiful.
What is a Danish?
A Danish is a type of pastry that originated in Denmark.
It’s typically made of flaky pastry dough, shaped into a rectangle or oval, and filled with various sweet fillings. Have you tried my Caramel Apple Danish or my Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Danish?
To make this dish even easier, I used storebought puff pastry, which cooks up light and buttery and pairs perfectly with the sweet cream cheese and cherry fruit filling.
Danishes are commonly enjoyed as a sweet treat alongside morning coffee or tea, and they’re popular in bakeries and breakfast spreads worldwide.
How to make cherry cream cheese Danish
Making this puff pastry Danish couldn’t be easier!
- Preheat the oven and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and flavoring until smooth.
- Prep your puff pastry and spread with cream cheese filling.
- Top with cherry fruit filling and almonds, and bake.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Tips for making the best easy cherry Danish
- Keep your puff pasty cold so it puffs up beautifully! If your dough gets too warm after forming and topping, add to the fridge to get cold for a few minutes.
- Don’t overfill your Danish with cream cheese. Make sure to stay in the middle part of the puff pastry.
- Make sure to poke a few holes in the center so it doesn’t puff up too much.
- Gently score the edge, but DO NOT cut all the way through to the bottom.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar or a simple glaze for an extra zip.
Using fruit filling
It goes without saying that my relationship with Lucly Leaf is because I find their product delicious but also top-notch!
Their fruit filling contains NO high fructose corn syrup and is perfect for high-quality and easy desserts. Especially cherry desserts! The berries are juicy and ripe and taste perfectly sweet!
I also love that Lucly Leaf is a cooperative, which means they are owned by the very farmers who help grow the fruit inside the cans.
Talk about farm-to-table! Or farm to Danish.
You know what I mean.
Follow Lucky Leaf on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter!
Variations and adaptations
While this recipe is delicious as is, you can easily adapt it to fit your needs!
Here are a few delicious ways to jazz up this simple Danish:
- Change out the fruit – Lucky Leaf offers a variety of fruit fillings such as peach, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, and more. Any of these flavors in place of the cherry would be excellent!
- Cut your puff pastry into large squares for larger servings. You may need to cook the Danish a few minutes longer to account for the change in size.
- Swap out almonds for chopped walnuts, pecans, or even hazelnuts.
- Completely cut out the fruit and make a traditional cream cheese Danish.
- Top this Danish with powdered sugar or powdered sugar icing.
Storing leftovers and freezing
STORAGE: This easy cherry Danish tastes the best on the day it’s made, BUT can be stored for a few days covered in the fridge. You can also try to reheat them in the toast oven or an air fryer.
FREEZING: If you want to freeze these danishes, you can fully bake them, cover them, or store them in an air-tight container (a plastic storage container works well here!) in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let thaw before eating. If the puff pastry is not as crisp, simply reheat it in a toaster oven or air fryer.
MAKE AHEAD: Put together your Danish, place onto a prepared sheet pan, cover, and keep in the fridge overnight until ready to bake.
More easy fruit filling recipes
- Craving an easy cake? Try my Apple Pie Filling Coffee Cake
- Love all things dip? Including dessert? Try my Cherry Cheesecake Dip
- Need an easy breakfast dish? Try my Apple Pie Baked French Toast
- Want an easy dessert that screams fall and winter? Try my Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Easy Cherry Danish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed but still cold
- 2 cups Lucky Leaf cherry fruit filling
- Sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- In a small bowl mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract. Mix until smooth and combined, set aside.
- Unroll the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and slice in half lengthwise.
- Cut each strip into 3 rectangles. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.
- Using a paring knife, create a 1/2 inch border around the edge of each piece of puff pastry. Make sure to not cut all the way through!
- Poke the center square of the puff pastry a few times with a fork, this will ensure the edges rise, but not the center. This helps hold the filling of the Danish.
- Divide the cream cheese mixture between the pieces of puff pastry, making sure to only fill within the middle border. Smooth out the cream cheese in the middle as best as you can, making sure to not go passed the scored edges.
- Top with an equal amount of cherry fruit filling and desired amount of sliced almonds.
- Brush the edges of the Danish with the heavy cream.
- Add to the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Notes
- Puff pastry is a flakey dough found in most grocery stores’ frozen dessert aisle.
- You can use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract.
Nutrition
Gina
Saturday 16th of December 2023
This recipe was so delicious. Easy to prepare and a hit with my family! I will be making again!
Taryn
Friday 15th of December 2023
Very flavorful and easy to make. I enjoyed this cherry danish recipe. Thanks!