Best Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes Recipe (Valentine’s Perfect!) Recipe
These Best Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes are a perfect Valentine’s Day treat featuring flaky puff pastry filled with a smooth cream cheese mixture and fresh diced strawberries. The danishes are topped with a sweet glaze and a sprinkle of coarse sugar, delivering bakery-quality flavor and presentation right at home.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 danishes 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Danishes:
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol-free)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced small
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol-free)
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Cut out hearts: Unfold thawed puff pastry and use a 3-4 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts. Re-roll scraps and cut additional hearts as needed.
- Prepare filling: Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy, creating the filling base.
- Create borders: Score a smaller heart shape inside each pastry heart, making sure not to cut all the way through the dough to form a border that will puff up.
- Fill centers: Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the centers of the scored hearts, then top each with the small diced strawberries to avoid sealing issues.
- Apply egg wash and sugar: Brush the exposed pastry edges with beaten egg to promote browning, then sprinkle with turbinado or coarse sugar for added texture and sweetness.
- Bake: Place the danishes on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 15-18 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.
- Glaze and finish: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and optional pink food coloring until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled danishes for a glossy, sweet finish.
Notes
- Ensure puff pastry is fully thawed but cold; avoid microwaving to keep pastry flaky.
- Dice strawberries finely to prevent difficulty in sealing the pastries.
- Scoring the smaller heart inside without cutting completely allows the border to puff nicely.
- Use a pastry brush with natural bristles for an even egg wash.
- Let the danishes cool completely before glazing to prevent melting of the glaze.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking without adding oil or butter.
Keywords: strawberry cream cheese danishes, heart-shaped pastries, Valentine’s Day dessert, puff pastry danishes, cream cheese filling
