This danish pairs a cold cream cheese filling with a hot oven. The pastry lifts into layers while the cheese stays soft. Strawberries sit on top and release juice into the filling.
Weigh the cream cheese and sugar first. Volume measures drift with cold dairy. A kitchen scale keeps the filling firm enough to hold its shape.
Work fast with cold pastry. Warm puff pastry loses its layers before it reaches the oven. Keep the second batch in the fridge until the first tray is done.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
320 g (1 sheet, about 11 oz) cold all-purpose puff pastry
Buy all-butter puff pastry for flavor and lift. Frozen phyllo will not hold the filling and is not a substitute.
225 g (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese, cold
Full-fat holds shape; low-fat turns watery. Neufchatel works if you drain it on paper towel first.
50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
Caster sugar dissolves faster in cold cheese. Do not swap in honey, which loosens the filling.
1 large egg yolk (about 18 g)
Yolk adds richness and binds. Reserve the white for brushing the pastry edges.
8 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch
Cornstarch stops the filling from weeping. Potato starch works at the same weight.
3 g (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
Use real extract, not imitation. Vanilla bean paste is a direct swap at the same weight.
180 g (about 1 1/4 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled
Firm, red-ripe berries hold their shape. Frozen berries must be thawed and patted dry first.
40 g (2 tbsp) strawberry jam
A smooth jam spreads evenly. Apricot jam is a good swap and adds tartness.
1 large egg white, lightly beaten (about 30 g)
Egg wash gives shine and seals the edges. Milk brushed on works but browns less.
15 g (1 tbsp) demerara sugar, for finishing
Coarse sugar adds crunch. Turbinado is the same product under another name.
Tips & Tricks
Keep Pastry Cold
Chill the filled danishes for 15 minutes before baking so the butter stays solid and the layers separate.
Do Not Overfill
Two tablespoons of filling per danish is the limit; more spills over the edges and burns.
Seal the Borders
Press the egg-washed edges firmly so the filling cannot escape during the oven spring.
Judge by Color, Not Clock
Pull the tray when the pastry is deep golden and the filling puffs at the edges.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the Oven
Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment. (A hot oven gives the pastry its initial lift before the filling sets.)
2. Mix the Filling
Beat 225 g cream cheese, 50 g sugar, 8 g cornstarch, the yolk and 3 g vanilla until smooth, about 60 seconds. Stop when no lumps remain; overmixing traps air and the filling cracks.
3. Chill the Filling
Scrape the filling into a bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes. (Cold filling holds a mound on the pastry instead of spreading.)
4. Cut the Pastry
Cut the cold pastry sheet into six rectangles of about 10 by 8 cm. Score a 1 cm border with a knife, not cutting through. (The scored border rises and forms a rim.)
5. Fill the Danishes
Spoon 2 level tablespoons of filling into each center and spread to the score line. Top with 3 to 4 strawberry slices and 1 teaspoon jam. (Leave the border bare so it can puff.)
6. Brush and Sugar
Brush the borders with egg white and scatter 15 g demerara sugar over the tops. (The wash seals the pastry and the sugar browns fast.)
7. Chill Before Baking
Refrigerate the tray for 15 minutes. (This firms the butter so the layers separate cleanly in the oven.)
8. Bake Until Golden
Bake at 200 C (400 F) for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating once. The pastry should be deep golden brown and the filling set at 70 C (158 F) on a thermometer. Cool 10 minutes on the tray before moving. Weigh, watch, repeat.
Delicious Variations
Raspberry Almond
Swap the jam for raspberry and scatter 20 g sliced almonds over the tops before baking.
Lemon Blueberry
Replace strawberries with blueberries and add 2 g lemon zest to the cream cheese filling.
Chocolate Base
Spread 15 g melted dark chocolate on the pastry before the filling for a richer base.
How to Store Strawberry Cheesecake Danish
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat briefly to crisp the pastry.
Freezer
Freeze baked danishes solid on a tray, then bag for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Reheat at 160 C (320 F) for 8 minutes; the pastry crisps and the filling softens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen strawberries for these danishes?
Yes, but thaw and pat them dry first. Excess water makes the filling run and the pastry soggy.
Q: Why did my cream cheese filling turn watery?
The filling was likely overmixed or made with low-fat cheese. Beat only until smooth and use full-fat cream cheese.
Q: Can I make strawberry cheesecake danish ahead of time?
Yes, assemble the danishes and refrigerate them covered for up to 12 hours. Bake straight from cold, adding 2 minutes to the time.
Q: What temperature should the filling reach?
The filling should read 70 C (158 F) at the center. At that point it is set but still creamy.
Q: Can I use crescent roll dough instead of puff pastry?
Yes, but press the seams together and expect a softer, breadier result. Puff pastry gives the flakiest layers.
Weigh the cheese, chill the pastry and bake until the edges turn deep gold. Make a tray this weekend and tell me how the layers came out. Weigh, watch, repeat.
Strawberry Cheesecake Danish
Strawberry Cheesecake Danish: flaky puff pastry, tangy cream cheese filling and jammy strawberries, baked golden in 50 minutes for a balanced treat.
🧂 Ingredients
- 320 g (1 sheet, about 11 oz) cold all-purpose puff pastry
- 225 g (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese, cold
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (about 18 g)
- 8 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch
- 3 g (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 180 g (about 1 1/4 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled
- 40 g (2 tbsp) strawberry jam
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (about 30 g)
- 15 g (1 tbsp) demerara sugar, for finishing
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the Oven — Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment. (A hot oven gives the pastry its initial lift before the filling sets.)
- 2Mix the Filling — Beat 225 g cream cheese, 50 g sugar, 8 g cornstarch, the yolk and 3 g vanilla until smooth, about 60 seconds. Stop when no lumps remain; overmixing traps air and the filling cracks.
- 3Chill the Filling — Scrape the filling into a bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes. (Cold filling holds a mound on the pastry instead of spreading.)
- 4Cut the Pastry — Cut the cold pastry sheet into six rectangles of about 10 by 8 cm. Score a 1 cm border with a knife, not cutting through. (The scored border rises and forms a rim.)
- 5Fill the Danishes — Spoon 2 level tablespoons of filling into each center and spread to the score line. Top with 3 to 4 strawberry slices and 1 teaspoon jam. (Leave the border bare so it can puff.)
- 6Brush and Sugar — Brush the borders with egg white and scatter 15 g demerara sugar over the tops. (The wash seals the pastry and the sugar browns fast.)
- 7Chill Before Baking — Refrigerate the tray for 15 minutes. (This firms the butter so the layers separate cleanly in the oven.)
- 8Bake Until Golden — Bake at 200 C (400 F) for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating once. The pastry should be deep golden brown and the filling set at 70 C (158 F) on a thermometer. Cool 10 minutes on the tray before moving. Weigh, watch, repeat.
Tomasz writes precise, method-first recipes for breads, ferments, and slow braises, drawing on Polish and Central European home cooking. He cares about weights, temperatures, and timing, and explains the reason behind each step so cooks can repeat results. His angle is turning fussy techniques into clear, checkable instructions.