Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese Danish — A Flaky Treat You’ll Love

 

There’s something truly magical about the combination of buttery puff pastry, sweet strawberry jam, and a silky cream cheese filling — and these Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese Danishes bring all of that goodness together in the easiest, most delicious way. They look beautifully bakery‑worthy, yet they come together with just a handful of simple ingredients and a few quick steps. The pastry puffs into golden, flaky layers, the almonds toast perfectly around the edges, and the jam bubbles into a glossy, berry‑sweet center. Finished with a flicker of almond icing, they’re the kind of treat that feels special without being fussy.

If you’re looking for a quick pastry that tastes like pure indulgence, these little Danishes are such a lovely place to start.

 

 There is something really wonderful that happens when you combine strawberry jam with a almond cream cheese filling and puff pastry. You end up with a beautiful taste of heaven.  Flaky, buttery, rich and sweet.

These beautiful bakes I am sharing with you today use only a few simple ingredients.  All-butter puff pastry, an egg yolk, some cream cheese, a bit of flavoring, jam and some flaked almonds.

Making them is really easy. Just unroll the pastry, cut it into rectangles, score, fill and bake. A simple almond icing glaze is applied at the very end for your eating enjoyment.

They are also very adaptable in that you can use any kind of jam that you enjoy for the filling.

Rich, flaky, buttery, nutty and sweet. Perfect to enjoy with a hot drink at teatime or for a breakfast or brunch. A traditional Danish?  Perhaps not, but  I cannot think of anyone who would not enjoy one of these delightfully delicious bakes!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

STRAWBERRY ALMOND CREAM CHEESE DANISH

Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way. Simply. My promise to you always.

For the pastries:

• 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry
• 180g package of cream cheese (4 ounces)
• 45g sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 egg yolk, divided
• 1/4 tsp each pure almond and vanilla extracts
• strawberry jam
• flaked almonds

For the glaze:

• 65g sifted icing sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1 TBS milk
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

 

I only ever use all-butter puff pastry as I do not like or enjoy the artificial flavor of the other kind. All-butter, simply put, is better.

Use full fat cream cheese for the best result.

I use large eggs.

I only use pure extracts. Again, I do not enjoy the artificial flavors of the other ones.  The flavors are just better when you use the real thing.

If you are not fond of strawberry jam or do not have any, feel free to use any jam in it's place in the same quantities.  Plum, Cherry, Apricot, Peach, Blueberry, etc. All work well.

If you don't have flaked almonds you could use slivered almonds in their place.

Icing sugar is also known as confectioner's or powdered sugar.

 

HOW TO MAKE

STRAWBERRY ALMOND CREAM CHEESE DANISH

These are very simple to make and go together very quickly, which makes them perfect to enjoy any time! 

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. (Make sure the baking tray is large enough to hold them in a single layer with plenty of room in between the pastries for the air to circulate for the optimum rise. If necessary use two baking sheets.)
2. Whisk together 1/2 of the egg yolk (reserve the remainder), the sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Set aside. (I use a small wire whisk for this.)
3. Unroll your puff pastry. Cut it into 8 equal sized rectangles. (The number that you get will depend on the size of your puff pastry sheets. Mine was 10-inches square.)
4. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score lightly about 1/2 inch in around the border of each rectangle, taking care not to cut all the way through. Transfer to the baking sheet. (This will form a small receptacle for the filling while baking as the edge will puff up taller.)
5. Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and an equal amount of water. Brush the 1/2 inch border around each rectangle with the egg wash and sprinkle with the flaked almonds, pressing them on lightly. (If you don't lightly press them on, they may fall off easily when done. You want them to stick.)
6. Spoon a portion (about 2 heaped TBS each) of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each rectangle, spreading it out a bit. (I spread it out with the back of a metal spoon. You do not need to go right to the edge, but close.)
7. Spoon 2 tsp of strawberry jam into the center of each on top of the cream cheese filling. (DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO USE MORE JAM THAN THAT!)
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven. Scoop off onto wire rack to cool completely. (Remember hot jam burns the skin easily.)
9. Whisk together the icing sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Flick over top of the pastries. Allow to set before serving. (Make sure your pastries are completely cooled before drizzling the frosting over top.)

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS 

• Read through the recipe several times before beginning to familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed.
• Assemble everything you need for this recipe before you begin so that you won't leave anything out by accident.
• Follow the instructions precisely. Not doing so does not insure success.
• Make sure your puff pastry is very cold and keep it cold throughout the process. It is much easier to handle when cold, and can tend to stretch when warm. Work with it quickly to help this process.
• You can use any jam that you enjoy.  Strawberry is delightful, but morello cherry also works very well with the almond flavor as does plum.
• Do not be tempted to overdo the jam. Hot jam expands quite a bit and you don't want the filling to flow over the edges of the pastries.
• Do not be afraid to be generous with the flaked almond trim. It adds a delightful crunch to the finished pastries.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 4 days. Bring to room temperature prior to eating.
• Do not glaze until about an hour prior to you wanting to serve them.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

CAN I USE REGULAR PASTRY?

You could, but you won't get that lovely light flakiness that is achieved only from using puff pastry.

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS NUT-FREE FOR THOSE WITH ALLERGIES?

Simply leave out the almond extract and don't use the flaked almonds. If you are wanting a nice finish on the edge of these pastries without using almonds, then use some coarse sanding sugar  or white nib sugar in their place.

MUST I USE CREAM CHEESE?

Yes, the use of cream cheese is integral to the success of this recipe. It is possible that you might be able to use Quark, but I haven't done so myself so cannot say that it would work with any modicum of success.

CAN I USE ANOTHER KIND OF JAM?

You can use any kind of jam that you have on hand and that you enjoy. I cannot think of any that would not be delicious.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

Yes, you can very easily double the recipe. Just double all of the ingredients and use two baking sheets.

CAN THESE BE FROZEN?

I have never frozen them so I cannot say for sure.  However, if you do plan on freezing them I suggest that you use only full-fat cream cheese and are aware that there may be some textural changes in the integrity of the cream cheese filling. There is a possibility of it becoming granular.

 

A FEW OTHER TEATIME BAKES  FOR YOU TO ENJOY   

There is nothing that can make a hot cup of tea taste better than a morsel of something sweet to go alongside. Here are a few favorites.

MARY'S PERFECT SHORTBREAD - This beautifully simple shortbread is everything you expect from a Mary Berry recipe — reliable, buttery, crisp, and melt‑in‑the‑mouth perfect. Made with just flour, corn-flour, butter, and caster sugar, it’s a classic bake that proves how magical the simplest ingredients can be when handled with care. The dough comes together gently by hand, is rolled into a neat round, crimped, pricked, lightly scored, and baked until pale golden. A final dusting of caster sugar gives each wedge a delicate sparkle and the most irresistible finish.

IRISH TEA BRACK - Not only is this a delicious quick bread to enjoy with a hot cup of tea but it is made with a beautiful fruit mixture that has been soaked overnight in cold leftover tea. These soaking plumps up the dried fruit beautifully so that you end up with a loaf that is loaded with moist bits of raisins, sultanas. currants, etc. Moist, delicious and fat free.  Yes. Fat free.  No fat is used in the making of this loaf. You can feel utterly justified in cutting it into thin slices and then spreading it with copious amounts of butter to enjoy.  

 

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Yield: makes 8

Author: Marie Rayner

Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese Danish

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These wonderfully flaky pastries will have your family reaching for seconds. Easy to make and really delicious!

Ingredients

For the pastries:

• 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry
• 180g package of cream cheese (4 ounces)
• 45g sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 egg yolk, divided
• 1/4 tsp each pure almond and vanilla extracts
• strawberry jam
• flaked almonds

For the glaze:

• 65g sifted icing sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1 TBS milk
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Whisk together 1/2 of the egg yolk (reserve the remainder), the sugar, cream cheese, vanilla and almond extract until smooth. Set aside.
3. Unroll your puff pastry. Cut it into 8 equal sized rectangles.
4. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score lightly about 1/2 inch in around the border of each rectangle, taking care not to cut all the way through. Transfer to the baking sheet.
5. Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and an equal amount of water. Brush the 1/2 inch border around each rectangle with the egg wash and sprinkle with the flaked almonds, pressing them on lightly.
6. Spoon a portion (about 2 heaped TBS each) of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each rectangle, spreading it out a bit.
7. Spoon 2 tsp of strawberry jam into the center of each on top of the cream cheese filling.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven. Scoop off onto wire rack to cool completely.
9. Whisk together the icing sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Flick over top of the pastries. Allow to set before serving.

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