Cherry Danish Pastry with Cream Cheese and Almond Drizzle Recipe
This Cherry Danish recipe offers a delightful combination of flaky crescent roll pastry filled with a creamy almond cream cheese mixture topped with sweet cherry pie filling. Finished with a simple powdered sugar glaze and optional slivered almonds, these homemade Danishes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 Danishes 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
Dough and Topping
- 16 ounces flaky crescent rolls (two 8-ounce tubes, chilled in freezer for 30 minutes)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside for later use.
- Make cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, use a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and almond extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Prepare egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water with a fork to create an egg wash. Set aside.
- Prepare crescent dough: Open one tube of crescent rolls and keep the dough in its long cylinder shape without unrolling. Place it on a cutting board.
- Cut dough into rounds: Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces, creating circular dough rounds.
- Shape and egg wash dough: Flatten each dough round slightly in the center with your fingers and thumb. Arrange them spaced 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Brush the edges and sides of each round with the egg wash using a pastry brush.
- Add filling and cherries: Spoon a small amount of the cream cheese filling into the center of each dough round. Top each with two cherries from the pie filling.
- Bake Danishes: Bake the prepared Danishes in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Prepare glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and whole milk until smooth and lump-free.
- Glaze and garnish: Lightly drizzle the glaze over each cooled Danish. Optionally, sprinkle with slivered almonds for added flavor and texture.
- Repeat process: Open the second tube of crescent rolls and repeat the above steps to make another batch of Danishes.
Notes
- Chilling crescent rolls in the freezer makes them easier to cut into neat rounds.
- Use fresh or good quality cherry pie filling for the best flavor.
- Egg wash helps achieve a golden and shiny crust.
- Optional slivered almonds add a nice crunch but can be omitted if desired.
- Allow Danishes to cool slightly before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Keywords: Cherry Danish, cream cheese danish, crescent roll danish, easy danish recipe, breakfast pastry, cherry pastry
