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Treat yourself to a sweet snack or cozy breakfast with these flaky Puff Pastry Danishes. Each bite gives a mix of soft cream cheese filling and fruit preserves, wrapped in buttery pastry. The simple glaze brings it all together in just minutes. Make them in the air fryer or oven with this easy recipe.

Four puff pastry danishes filled with cream cheese, blueberry preserves, and drizzled with glaze.

Paired with coffee or enjoyed as a late-afternoon treat, these pastries are easy to make and have endless flavor options from blueberry preserves to tangy lemon curd.

Puff pastry danishes stand out for their feather-light, shattering layers that start as thin rectangles. Once baked, each fold separates and expands into hundreds of delicate layers. It’s that unmistakable flaky crunch on the outside with a tender, airy bite inside that keeps you coming back for more.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Puff pastry danishes are incredibly tasty, combining the rich, buttery flavor of the pastry with a variety of sweet or savory fillings. They can be customized to suit personal preferences.
They have an elegant appearance, making them perfect for special occasions, brunches, or gatherings.
Homemade danishes are fresh and can be enjoyed warm right out of the oven.

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Ingredients

Puff Pastry: All-butter varieties like Trader Joe’s or Dufour, Pepperidge Farms for dairy-free.
Cream Cheese Filling: Softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract.
Fruit Preserves: I used my homemade blueberry preserves, but Bonne Maman or any other high-quality fruit preserves will work too.
Egg: An egg wash gives the pastries a nice shine and golden color.
Glaze: Powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract.

Check out the printable recipe card below for the complete recipe and detailed instructions.

How to Make Puff Pastry Danishes

In the Air Fryer:

Whisk together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and half teaspoon of vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside.

Cream cheese filling mixed together in a mixing bowl.

Unfold pastry sheet and place on a lightly floured work surface. Cut along the fold lines to create 3 pieces. Next, cut in half to create 6 rectangles.

Sheet of puff pastry cut into six rectangles.

Use a paring knife to lightly score a half-inch border around each pastry rectangle, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will allow the edges to puff up and become crispy around the filling.

Puff pastry rectangles will score lines to create a border.

Divide the cream cheese filling evenly between the six rectangles, spreading it evenly within the borders. Now add a teaspoon of fruit preserves to the center of each pastry. Do not spread it out, it will melt as it cooks.

Puff pastry rectangles topped with cream cheese and blueberry preserves.

Preheat air fryer to 325°F (165°C).

Create the egg wash by whisking an egg and water together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Brush the wash along the border of each pastry.

Place 2 pastries in the air fryer basket, we want to give them space to rise and get crispy.

Two puff pastry rectangles with cream cheese and blueberry preserves in an air fryer basket.

Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and continue cooking the remaining danishes.

Baked puff pastry danishes on wire cooling rack.

While pastries are cooling, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl to create a glaze. Adjust the consistency if needed to create a glaze that will drizzle off the spoon without being watery.

Drizzle glaze over cooled, or barely warm pastries. The glaze will set up and harden as it dries.

Puff pastry danishes on a wire rack drizzled with glaze.

Serve with your favorite beverage.

Bake in the Oven:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Prepare danishes as described above.

Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Drizzle with glaze and serve.

Two puff pastry danishes on a plate with a bite out of the top danish to show the flaky layers.

You’ll Also Love: Blueberry Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze

Tips

Thaw puff pastry in the refrigerator, not on the counter, for best texture.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour to prevent sticking, but avoid over-flouring which can toughen layers. If puff pastry has a thick coating of flour, gently brush it away with a pastry brush.
Use a sharp knife or pastry cutter for clean, straight cuts. Crisp edges mean dramatic puff.
Use full-fat cream cheese for that dense, creamy mouthfeel we all love. Low-fat cream cheese can turn watery and taste bland.
This recipe can easily be doubled. Keep second sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator to keep it cold until needed.

Storage

Cool completely before storing. Warm pastries trap steam and turn the crust soggy.
Place cooled danishes in an airtight container in the fridge. This keeps them fresh for up to 3 days.
To freeze leftovers: Wrap each cooled danish tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep out air. Place wrapped danishes in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
To freeze unbaked danishes: Assemble them, freeze them on a baking sheet, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake them directly from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.

You’ll Also Love: Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!
Tag @cookingwithcurls on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐ review below!

Enjoy!!