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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