Flaky Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish Delight
A quick and easy homemade Danish pastry featuring a flaky crust, silky cream cheese filling, and bright raspberry topping, perfect for cozy mornings or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) ice water
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup (160g) raspberry jam or preserves
- Optional: fresh raspberries for garnish
- Optional glaze:
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons (15-30ml) milk or cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces. (5-7 minutes)
- Add Ice Water: Slowly drizzle in ice water, mixing gently until dough just comes together without being sticky. (3-5 minutes)
- Chill the Dough: Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: Beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolk until smooth and creamy. (5 minutes)
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into a 12×12 inch square. Cut into 9 equal squares (about 4×4 inches each). Keep dough cold; refrigerate if it warms. (10 minutes)
- Assemble the Danish: Place a spoonful of cream cheese filling in the center of each square. Add about 1 tablespoon of raspberry jam on top. Fold corners towards center, pinching gently to seal but leaving some filling exposed. (10 minutes)
- Bake: Arrange Danish on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes until golden and puffed. Watch closely last 5 minutes to avoid overbrowning. (25 minutes)
- Optional Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract. Drizzle over warm Danish after baking. (5 minutes)
Notes
Keep butter and water ice-cold to ensure flakiness. Do not overwork dough to avoid toughness. Use cream cheese at room temperature for smooth filling. Watch oven temperature closely to prevent overbrowning. Chilling assembled pastries before baking helps keep filling in place. For gluten-free, substitute flour with almond flour or store-bought gluten-free puff pastry. For dairy-free, use coconut cream cheese and vegan butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One Danish square
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Protein: 5
Keywords: raspberry, cream cheese, Danish, pastry, flaky, homemade, breakfast, brunch, dessert