Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Pastries (Printable)

Flaky golden pastries with sweet cream cheese and strawberry filling, beautifully shaped into hearts for special occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Pastry Components

01 - 1 sheet (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed
02 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash

→ Cream Cheese Filling

03 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Filling

06 - 4 tablespoons strawberry preserves or jam
07 - 6 fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (about 3.5 oz)

→ Vanilla Glaze

08 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar (about 2 oz)
09 - 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
10 - 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - On a lightly floured work surface, unfold thawed puff pastry sheet. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut 16 heart shapes from the pastry. Arrange 8 whole hearts evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Using a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut centers from the remaining 8 hearts to create decorative frames. Set aside.
04 - Lightly brush the edges of the solid hearts on the baking sheet with egg wash. Carefully place the heart frames on top, pressing gently to seal the layers together.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a fork or hand mixer until completely smooth and creamy.
06 - Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each pastry heart. Top each with 1/2 tablespoon strawberry preserves, then arrange a few fresh strawberry slices over the preserves.
07 - Brush the exposed pastry edges with remaining egg wash for a golden, glossy finish.
08 - Bake for 16-18 minutes until pastries are puffed, deeply golden, and baked through. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before glazing.
09 - While pastries cool, whisk powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Add additional milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time if needed for drizzling consistency.
10 - Drizzle glaze generously over cooled danishes. Serve immediately while still slightly warm, or allow glaze to set for 15 minutes before serving at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of crisp flaky pastry against cool creamy filling is absolutely addictive
  • These look like you spent hours at a fancy bakery but take minutes to assemble
  • Perfect for Valentine breakfast in bed or just because Tuesday needs more heart shaped food
02 -
  • Work quickly once the puff pastry is out of the package because warm pastry loses its ability to puff beautifully
  • Do not overfill the centers or the filling will spill out during baking and make a mess of your pretty hearts
  • The danishes are done when the bottoms are golden brown not just the tops so peek underneath if unsure
03 -
  • Chill your baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before assembling to help the puff pastry keep its shape
  • If you do not have heart cutters fold rectangles into rectangles and cut small hearts from the center instead

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