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Cranberry-Almond Danishes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Cranberry-Almond Danishes

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‘Tis the time of the year for all things sweet and decadent, starting with these Cranberry-Almond Danishes! Danishes on Christmas morning are a tradition and these are the perfect blend of tart and sweet. Buttery puff pastry piled high with almond cream cheese and cranberry sauce topped with a drizzle of almond glaze. 

Cranberry-Almond Danishes are the perfect breakfast for entertaining company. They’re easy to prep in advance and feed a crowd!

Cranberry-Almond Danishes

I don’t know about you, but I grew up with a box of Entenmann’s danishes every holiday morning. I love a good danish with my morning coffee while waiting to open presents. 

While there’s no shame in the boxed danish game, these Cranberry-Almond Danishes are too simple to not make at home! It all starts with good, all-butter puff pastry.

We mix up a simple cream cheese filling with a bit of sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract, spread that onto the puff pastry and finally top with cranberry sauce.

Bake until golden brown and then drizzle a quick almond glaze over the top. So good and so simple!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Delicious & Decadent – These Cranberry-Almond Danishes are absolute perfection! They’re sweet and decadent without being over the top and the cranberry adds the perfect tart contrast. This is a recipe you’ll turn to over and over again whether it’s the holiday season or not. 

Easy – Who doesn’t want an easy breakfast during the holidays? There’s always so much going on that having an easy breakfast recipe in your back pocket is a must.

Festive – Cranberry always has its moment in the sun during the holidays and for good reason! It’s an underrated flavor and pairs so well with the cream cheese in these danishes.

Cranberry-Almond Danishes

How to Make Cranberry-Almond Danishes

You’re going to be shocked at how simple these Cranberry-Almond Danishes are to put together! You only need a handful of ingredients.

Tools Needed

Ingredients for Cranberry-Almond Danishes

  • Puff Pastry. Opt for high-quality all-butter puff pastry. My favorite is the all-butter puff pastry from Trader Joe’s.
  • Cream Cheese. You’ll want to use a brick of cream cheese here, not the spreadable whipped kind.
  • Egg Yolk. Egg yolk gives the filling a cheesecake-like texture without feeling grainy.
  • Egg. An egg whisked with a bit of water for egg washing the edges of the puff pastry.
  • Sugar. Classic granulated sugar is the play here.
  • Almond Extract. Almond extract for the filling and the glaze pairs so nicely with the cranberries.
  • Vanilla. If you have it, vanilla bean paste is great, but vanilla extract works too.
  • Cranberry Sauce (store bought or homemade). I used the cranberry sauce from this Dutch Baby Recipe, but you can also use store bought.
  • Powdered Sugar. The almond glaze is a simple mix of milk, powdered sugar, and a touch of almond extract.
  • Milk. I prefer whole milk here, but any milk will do.
  • Sliced almonds. Toasted almonds on top give the Cranberry-Almond Danishes a nice crunch.

The Process

  • Defrost the puff pastry: The day before you plan to make Cranberry-Almond Danishes, transfer the puff pastry to the fridge so that it can defrost overnight.  
  • Prep the puff pastry. Gently unfold and roll out your sheet of puff pastry just to flatten and smooth it. Cut it into two rectangles, about 10 inches by 5 inches. Gently score around the edge of each rectangle, about 3/4″ in from the edges. This will create a frame of pastry that will rise around the filling as it bakes. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and back in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.
  • Make the cream cheese filling. Combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or a sturdy ziplock bag. 
  • Assemble the danishes: Pipe the cream cheese evenly between the four pieces of puff pastry inside the scored rectangle. Top with the cranberry sauce and brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle the puff pastry with a bit of sugar. 
  • Bake. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Drizzle with the almond glaze and top with toasted almonds.

Tips for Making Perfect Cranberry-Almond Danishes

These danishes couldn’t be easier to make! They’re a tiny bit of work up front, but they come together quickly and easily. Here are my tips for making perfect danishes every time:

  1. Thaw the puff pastry adequately. Give the puff pastry enough time to defrost. I always pull mine out of the freezer and into the fridge the night before I plan to bake. 
  2. Keep the puff pastry cold before baking. After rolling the puff pastry out and cutting into rectangles, return the puff pastry to the fridge before piping on the filling. Cold puff pastry bakes up taller and crispier. 
  3. Use room temperature ingredients. On the flip side, make sure your cream cheese and eggs are room temperature! This allows them to mix more easily so you end up with a smooth, cheesecake-like filling. 
  4. Don’t go too heavy on the cranberry sauce. Be somewhat sparing with the cranberry sauce so that you don’t end up with soggy danishes. 
  5. Rest the danishes before glazing. After the danishes come out of the oven, let them rest for at least 10 minutes before glazing. If the danishes are too warm, the glaze will melt and slide right off.

Danish Variations

I love the cranberry sauce and cream cheese combo in these Cranberry-Almond Danishes, but the sky’s the limit when it comes to flavor combinations. Here are some of my favorite ways to adapt this recipe:

  • Fresh fruit. You can always top your cream cheese with fresh fruit before baking! Berries are especially good with the cream cheese filling. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries all mixed together. 
  • Add some nutella. Who doesn’t love chocolate? Mix some nutella into the cream cheese filling and bake as is.  
  • Try different jams. You can really top these danishes with any jam you like! Strawberry, raspberry, boysenberry, and apricot are some of my favorites!

Cranberry-Almond Danishes

More Holiday Brunch Recipes to Try Now

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Compote
Apple Cider Donut Cake
Nutella-Stuffed French Toast
Bacon Leek Frittata

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Christmas Danishes
Breakfast, Brunch

Cranberry-Almond Danishes

‘Tis the time of the year for all things sweet and decadent, starting with these Cranberry-Almond Danishes! Danishes on Christmas morning are a tradition and these are the perfect blend of tart and sweet.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 large danishes

Ingredients

Cranberry-Almond Danishes

  • 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry, defrosted
  • 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 1/4 cup cranberry sauce or jam, homemade or store bought
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water, for egg wash
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Almond Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  • Preheat an oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Prep the puff pastry. Gently unfold and roll out your sheet of puff pastry just to flatten and smooth it. Cut it into two rectangles, about 10 inches by 5 inches. Gently score around the edge of each rectangle, about 3/4" in from the edges. This will create a frame of pastry that will rise around the filling as it bakes. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and back in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.
  • Make the cream cheese filling. Combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or a sturdy ziplock bag. 
  • Assemble the danishes: Cut the tip off the piping bag or the corner off of the ziplock and pipe the cream cheese evenly between the four pieces of puff pastry inside the scored rectangle. Top with the cranberry sauce and brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle the puff pastry edges with a bit of sugar. 
  • Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Drizzle with the almond glaze and top with toasted almonds.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 large danishes capable of feeding 8-10. You can cut the recipe in half and use just 1 sheet of puff pastry.
You can use store bought cranberry sauce or jam for this recipe, but I just the cranberry compote from this recipe

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