This delicious cherry puff pastry is filled with the classic flavor combination of sweet and tangy cream cheese mixture, fresh cherry filling, all wrapped in flaky, golden puff pastry, and drizzled with glaze. The perfect dessert for any occasion.
If you never make another homemade pastry, then make this one! It’s so easy, and it has the classic cherry and cream cheese filling combo that we’ve all come to think of when we think of puff pastries. Just think about how many times you’ve seen this particular pastry variety in the store. Other flavors come and go, but this one is always around. That’s why I love this homemade version. It delivers all that delicious flavor and texture, and it’s super easy to make.
Cherry Puff Pastry
This delicious pastry starts with a simple, homemade cherry filling and a sweet and tangy cream cheese filling. I layer them both down the center of 2 puff pastry sheets, then I cut the sheets into strips and braid them across the top of the filling for that classic pastry look. They’re brushed with egg wash and baked until golden brown. Then I finish them off with a simple glaze. It’s a delicious pastry recipe that everyone loves and makes a great snack, dessert, or sweet breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Puff Pastry Recipe
- The sweet and tangy cream cheese filling, the fresh cherry filling, along with the flaky, golden crust and glaze drizzle is simply irresistible.
- This pastry recipe is super easy to make and is absolutely delicious.
- It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion, from a casual brunch to a formal dinner party, and it is a crowd pleasure.
Cherry Puff Pastry Ingredients
This recipe only uses a few simple baking ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. You probably won’t have to do much shopping. The majority of these ingredients are most likely in your kitchen already.
- Store-bought puff pastry sheets
- Large egg
- Water
- Coarse sugar
- Bing cherries
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice
- Cream cheese
- Egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Cherry Puff Pastries
There are a few steps to this recipe, but they’re all very easy. From making the filling to braiding the dough, as long as you follow the simple directions, you’ll be in the clear!
Step 1: Make the Cherry Filling
Add cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium saucepan over low heat and stir. Then, mix the water and cornstarch together and mix it into the cherry mixture. Cook, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes in a medium bowl until fluffy. Then, add teh sugar, egg yolk. lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat again until combined.
Step 3: Fill the Puff Pastry
Gently open up the puffy pastry and roll a few times on a lightly floured surface until square and an even thickness. Spoon half the cream cheese mixture down the center of each pastry sheet, leaving about 1 ½ inches of space at each end. Then, top the cream cheese mixture with the cherry mixture.
Step 4: Braid
Cut two 1-inch long slits at each end of the puff pastry (see photo) and fold them over the top of the filling to keep it from leaking out. Then, cut the top and bottom side pieces at an angle (see photo) and continue making cuts down each side, making sure not too cut too close to the filling. Fold each piece over the filling in a braid.
Step 5: Bake
Mix the egg and water and brush the egg wash over both pastries. Then, bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove the pastries from the oven and let them cool a bit.
Step 6: Glaze
Mix the powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle over the warm pastries. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Stir continuously while making the cherry filling to prevent scorching.
- Fully soften your cream cheese to ensure a creamy filling.
- Let the cherry filling cool completely before spooning it over the cream cheese mixture.
- Be sure to let the pastries cool a bit before adding the glaze or it will slide right off!
Variations
- Use diced apples, pears, peaches, or your other favorite fruit for the filling.
- You can use berries for a berry pastry variation.
- Skip the braiding and simply fold the pastry over the filling to make a flop pastry.
- Try adding chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the top of the pastry before baking.
What to Serve with Cherry Puff Pastries
These delicious, sweet, and tangy pastries are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of milk. You can also serve them alongside your favorite savory breakfast options for a sweet and savory breakFEAST.
Recipe FAQ
There are two brands of puff pastry that tie for first place in this category. Dufour and Pepperidge Farm are both excellent brands and work well for any pastry recipe.
You can use cherry pie filling in place of fresh cherry filling. Add the same amount as the homemade filling. Be aware that the pie filling might be sweeter.
While both phyllo dough and puff pastry are buttery pastries, they are not the same. Puff pastry is rolled and folded multiple times while puff pastry is made with thin, alternating layers of dough and butter. These two methods produce a different rise and texture, and the two are not interchangeable.
You can fill and braid these pastries the day before and refrigerate them until ready to bake.
You can. This pastry freezes well for up to a month when stored properly.
How to Store Leftover Cherry Puff Pastry
Refrigerate these pastries in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For longer storage, place them on a baking sheet line with parchment paper and open-air freeze them until solid. Then, place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and store for up to a month.
Try This Delicious Cherry Puff Pastry Recipe Today
This cherry puff pastry is incredibly easy to make and full of all the classic cherry and cream cheese pastry flavors that we love. With a golden, flaky crust and the sweet and tangy flavors of cherry and cream cheese fillings, these pastries will satisfy any sweet tooth. Make these for a sweet breakfast, snack, or dessert. Just make them! They’re so good, you won’t be able to stop eating them.
More Delicious Cherry Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This Homemade Cherry Filling is great to use on pancakes, waffles, or French toast, or to use for your favorite hand pies, empanada filling. Easy and delicious.
Cherry Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 2 cups Bing cherries, pitted
- â…“ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounce cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Coarse sugar for topping.
- 1 box store-bought puff pastry sheets
Glaze Drizzle
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cherry Filling
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, add cherries, sugar and lemon juice. Stir,
- In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch together. Mix into cherries and continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens up.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and let cool.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sugar, egg yolk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
Cut the Puff Pastry Dough
- Gently open up and roll puff pastry a few times until square on a lightly floured surface.
- Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture down the center of each puff pastry leaving about 1½ inch free from filling at each end.
- See photo: cut two slits at each end of the pastry about 1 inch long and fold over the top of the filling and secure to prevent mixture from leaking out.
- Next cut off the top and bottom side pieces at an angle and continue to make cuts into the pastry along each side making sure not to cut too close to the filling.
- Once the cherry mixture has cooled, add about three heaping tablespoons of mixture on top of the cream cheese filling, gently spread, then repeat with the other puff pastry.
- Once the ends have been secured, start folding each piece over each other like a braid.
Egg Wash
- Mix egg and water together
- Brush egg wash over both pastries, sprinkle with coarse sugar,and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Glaze Drizzle
- In a small bowl, stir powdered sugar and milk together.
- Once pastry cools a bit, drizzle with glaze and enjoy.
Nutrition
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Can I assume that the pastry sheets need to thaw first – in the refrigerator or at room temperature?
Thank you
Hi Linda,
Yes, they do need to thaw. You can thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature. If they sit out too long, place them back in the fridge to chill until you are ready to fill and bake them. :)
I’m guessing the cherries should be pitted. Do you do this before cooking or after cooking when they would be softer
Hi Laurel, yes, they do. I do it prior to cooking.