A braided Cherry Danish is an easy treat to make for breakfast or dessert this holiday season. Puff pastry is filled with cream cheese and fruit filling and baked until golden brown. If you love cherries and cheesecake, this pastry braid is for you.
*This post is sponsored by Lucky Leaf. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
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I love having a pastry or cinnamon rolls for breakfast from time to time. Pairing coffee with a classic sour cream coffee cake, a banana coffee cake, or a blueberry danish is always a delicious idea.
What if I told you that you could enjoy cheesecake for breakfast? Of course, you don't need my permission to do that, but this cherry and cream cheese pastry is the perfect reason to.
Why Make a Cherry Cheese Danish
This gorgeous pastry braid looks just like the ones you can purchase in bakeries or at Costco, but it tastes so much better. The best part is that you can make this danish recipe at home with ingredients you know and trust.
It is so simple to make with just a few ingredients. Puff pastry and fruit filling are the secret ingredients that make this cherry danish quick and easy.
What I love most about this fruit danish is how you can customize it. Swap out the cherry fruit filling for blueberry or strawberry if you like one of those better.
Key Ingredients
Combine these simple ingredients for a cherry cheese danish that is out of this world. This braided danish is fancy enough for holiday parties, yet simple enough for a weekend brunch or easy breakfast.
- Puff Pastry - You will need two sheets of store-bought puff pastry, thawed according to the box directions. I found that Pepperidge Farm really was the best dough for this braid.
- Cream Cheese - This adds the cheesecake flavor to the braid.
- Granulated Sugar - You will just need a little bit to sweeten the cream cheese.
- Vanilla & Almond Extract - Adds flavor to the cheese filling.
- Cherry Fruit Filling - Not all fruit filling is the same. Lucky Leaf® Fruit Filling has the best color and fruit to filling ratio that I have found. It is an easy product to use in any dessert recipe.
- Egg - A light egg wash will give your puff pastry a beautiful color.
- Turbinado Sugar - A sprinkle of raw sugar adds a delicious crunch and color to the baked danish.
Why Use Lucky Leaf
When I am baking or making no bake desserts, I always reach for Lucky Leaf Premium Fruit Filling. It is so convenient to use as a topping or filling in easy-to-make recipes.
I have had the privilege of working with Lucky Leaf® for quite a few years now. I love that they do not use high-fructose syrup in their fillings. Plus, each can has more fruit inside. It truly is my favorite.
How to Make a Cherry Danish
Made with just a few ingredients, this is a quick and easy cherry danish to make. If you love cream cheese and cherries, this is a pastry that you will want to make over and over.
Make a Cream Cheese Filling
1. Prep the ingredients. Set the cream cheese and puff pastry out ahead of time, so they are ready to use.
2. Make the filling. Mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, and extracts in a small bowl until smooth.
Assemble the Braid
3. Unfold and roll out the pastry. Use a rolling pin to roll out the puff pastry sheets slightly on a sheet of parchment paper.
Cut notches in the top and bottom of each one. Then make six diagonal cuts toward the center of the braid leaving a 4 inch middle.
4. Add the cream cheese filling. Evenly spread the sweetened cream cheese mixture onto the center of each puff pastry.
5. Add the cherries. Divide the can of Lucky Leaf cherry fruit filling evenly on each pastry.
6. Make a braid. Fold up the bottom of the dough, then start folding the sliced pieces, alternating right to left until they form a braid.
7. Refrigerate the pans of dough. Place both baking sheets in the refrigerator and chill the braided cherry danish for at least 30 minutes.
8. Brush with egg wash. Remove one pan from the fridge. Use a small pastry brush, paint the top of the dough with an egg wash and then sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until golden brown.
Storage Recommendations
To Store - Store the leftover cream cheese danish in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To Reheat - This can be served cold, at room temperature, or you can reheat slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Tips and Tricks
I have tested this many different ways, so you don't have to. Follow these tips so your cherry danish recipe will be perfect every time.
- Be sure to chill the assembled pastry before putting it into the oven. Puff pastry cooks and puffs best when it is cold.
- If your puff pastry gets too soft or warm while you are working with it, return it to the refrigerator to chill.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the diagonal lines in the pastry. This keeps nice clean lines in the dough.
- Keep the egg wash on top of the pastry and not on the edges of the braid. The layers in the pastry will puff up better if there is not egg on the edges.
- Can't find puff pastry? You can use crescent rolls or crescent sheets instead.
- Lucky Leaf Premium Fruit Filling is so versatile, so try changing it up with apple, strawberry, peach, or blueberry fruit filling.
- Don't want to add a glaze? Use a dusting wand to add a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead.
Recipe FAQ'S
It is a pastry that combines dough, fruit filling, and cream cheese filling to form a breakfast or dessert treat.
Yes. You can assemble the braid the night before. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days until it is time to bake it.
Allow the baked danishes to cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
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Recipe
Cherry Danish
A braided Cherry Danish is an easy treat to make for breakfast or dessert. Puff pastry is filled with cream cheese and fruit filling and baked until golden brown. If you love cherries and cheesecake, this pastry braid is for you.
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry
- 1 - 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 - 21 ounce can Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Fruit Filling
- 1 large egg
- 2-3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4-5 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Place the puff pastry sheets and cream cheese on the counter to soften for 40 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and extracts in a small bowl until creamy.
- Unfold the puff pastry sheets and remove any inner papers. Place on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and roll out slightly with a rolling pin.
- Use a knife or pizza cutter to notch the two ends, then cut diagonal strips on either side of the pastry, leaving about a 4 inch strip in the center. Move the papers to 2 sheet pans.
- Spread the cheesecake filling evenly on the center of both sheets of dough. Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly on top of the cheesecake.
- Fold the ends up, then start braiding the strips, overlapping each one. Place the pans in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water.
- Use a pastry brush to very carefully brush the egg wash on the strips of dough. Make sure the egg wash does not touch any of the cut edges of the dough. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Place one pan in the fridge and one in the oven. Bake 28-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove and let oven heat up again, then bake the other one.
- Once the pastries are cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk and drizzle over the tops.
Notes
- Be sure to chill the assembled pastry before putting it into the oven. Puff pastry cooks and puffs best when it is cold.
- If your puff pastry gets too soft or warm while you are working with it, return it to the refrigerator to chill.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the diagonal lines in the pastry. This keeps nice clean lines in the dough.
- Keep the egg wash on top of the pastry and not on the edges of the braid. The layers in the pastry will puff up better if there is not egg on the edges.
- Can't find puff pastry? You can use crescent rolls or crescent sheets instead.
- Lucky Leaf Premium Fruit Filling is so versatile, so try changing it up with apple, strawberry, peach, or blueberry fruit filling.
- Don't want to add a glaze? Use a dusting wand to add a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This recipe was sponsored by Lucky Leaf. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. Thank you for letting me share products and brands I use and love. See my disclosure policy for more information.*
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Joyce
My grandkids will be coming and I can't wait to make this for them!
Roselyn
This looks amazing ! Can't wait to make one. Thanks for the chance at this wonderful giveaway. Good luck to all.
Judy
This looks awesome!
Mary
Looking forward to making it when everyone is in town a few weeks from now.
Sandra
Sounds delicious. Going to have to make for my family.
Jean May
This is a must try recipe. Looks fantastic, cherry pie is my favorite.
Bonnie W Blinson
I'm going to impress my family with this on Christmas mourning !
Sonya
I will be making cherry and blueberry! I don't expect they will last long!
Karen
This Danish looks lovely. I need to get some puff pastry ASAP!
Cindy Shelley
This look so good.. making my grocery list!!! I have to make this.
Amber
Lucky leaf is the only brand I use and has been for the last 10 years.
Auntiepatch
This looks incredible! I can't wait to bake one of these!
Wendy Kelley
Love a cherry cheese danish! This looks so yummy. Cant wait to try this recip.
Beverly
Looks really good!
Helene
I'm going grocery shopping tonight & I'm adding puff pastry to the list. This is dessert for tonight. Can't wait.
Dan Radloff
This looks very yummy!! Excited about the giveaway!!!
Joanne
All the Lucky Leaf fruit fillings are so good, but my favorites are cherry and peach. Your cherry danish looks delicious! Thanks for offering this nice giveaway!
Catrina H
This looks and sounds delicious. I used Lucky Leaf Cherry Filling on top of a no bake cheesecake I made for Thanksgiving.
Calshondra Williams
Awesome giveaway. Yummy! Looks really delicious. Can't wait to prepare it. Thanks for sharing.
Maggie Bennett
i have used lucky leaf brand for years..now that my daughter is cooking and baking for me, i make sure she picks up this brand...so good!!!