Name: Strawberry Danish – A Flaky Treat from Easy Recipes for Dinner
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed; 113g (4 oz) cream cheese, softened; 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/3 cup strawberry preserves; 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced; 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash); 1 tbsp coarse sugar (for topping)

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Let’s be real—sometimes, we just need a pastry that looks like it came from a fancy bakery, but really, we made it in our own kitchen… in pajamas. This strawberry Danish is that treat. It’s buttery, flakey, creamy, and topped with juicy strawberries that scream summer mornings. I whipped these up on a lazy Sunday with a cup of strong coffee in hand, and by the time the oven timer dinged, the house smelled like a sweet, buttery dream. Puff pastry does most of the heavy lifting, so you won’t need to knead, rest, or roll anything from scratch. Just unroll, dollop, top, bake, and suddenly you’re a breakfast legend. Perfect for weekend brunches, last-minute dessert cravings, or impressing someone with minimal effort. Yes, it’s that kind of easy—just how we like it.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Strawberry Danish Recipe
3) Ingredients for Strawberry Danish
4) How to Make Strawberry Danish
5) Tips for Making Strawberry Danish
6) Making Strawberry Danish Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Strawberry Danish
8) Try these breakfast recipes next!
9) Strawberry Danish
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This flaky Strawberry Danish recipe is quick, easy, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Uses store-bought puff pastry, so no dough-making mess or stress involved.
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert and totally beginner-friendly.
Can be customized with different fruits or a drizzle of glaze.

2) Easy Strawberry Danish Recipe

I’ve made plenty of breakfast recipes that promise ease but demand time. This one’s not like that. This Strawberry Danish is all about flaky layers, creamy centers, and fresh strawberries without the hassle. It’s a bakery-style treat with none of the bakery stress. You don’t have to knead or roll or fret over the dough—it’s puff pastry, and it’s a total hero.

I made this last weekend on a whim. No plans, no special guests—just me, a cozy Sunday morning, and a cup of strong coffee. The smell? Heavenly. The taste? Even better. Each bite balances that creamy center with the tart sweetness of strawberries. It’s one of those easy recipes for dinner that sneakily works great for breakfast or dessert too. Yes, I said dinner. Who says dessert can’t come first?

When I post anything new on Elena Cooks, I want it to be useful. This is the kind of recipe you can pull out when you’re short on time but want to impress. It’s fast, flexible, and it just works.

3) Ingredients for Strawberry Danish

Puff Pastry: You need one sheet, thawed. Store-bought puff pastry makes life easier and bakes up golden, crispy, and buttery. It’s the shortcut you won’t feel guilty about.

Cream Cheese: Go with full-fat, and make sure it’s softened. It adds richness and a smooth texture to the filling, almost like a cheesecake got cozy inside the pastry.

Granulated Sugar: Just a little sweetener to mix into the cream cheese. It balances the tang and makes that filling irresistible.

Vanilla Extract: A small splash makes a big difference. It adds warmth and rounds out the flavor of the filling beautifully.

Strawberry Preserves: This is your sticky-sweet layer under the fresh fruit. It adds depth and holds the strawberry slices in place.

Fresh Strawberries: Slice them thin and lay them on top. They roast slightly in the oven, turning soft and jammy while still keeping a bit of bite.

Egg: Just one, beaten. This gives the edges that glossy, golden look you want in any proper pastry.

Coarse Sugar: A sprinkle on top for crunch and a little sparkle. Totally optional, but don’t skip it unless you have to.

4) How to Make Strawberry Danish

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Easy cleanup starts now.

Step 2. Roll out your puff pastry and cut it into 8 equal rectangles. Take a knife and lightly score a border around each one—don’t cut all the way through. This helps the edges puff up while keeping the center low for the filling.

Step 3. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Try not to eat it by the spoonful. (Or do. I’m not judging.)

Step 4. Spread a generous spoonful of cream cheese mix inside the border of each pastry rectangle. It’s okay if it looks a little rustic.

Step 5. Top that with a spoonful of strawberry preserves and a few slices of fresh strawberry. Don’t overfill them or they’ll spill over the edge in the oven.

Step 6. Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg and sprinkle coarse sugar over the top.

Step 7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Let them cool a bit before eating, unless you’re okay with a mouthful of molten strawberry lava.

5) Tips for Making Strawberry Danish

If you want this recipe to work every time, keep the puff pastry cold until just before baking. Warm dough turns floppy, which messes with that puff factor.

Don’t overload the center. More filling doesn’t mean better—it just means messier. A little restraint gives you a cleaner bake with better contrast between crisp edges and creamy centers.

If you want to play around, try using raspberry jam or blueberries. Even a swipe of Nutella works in a pinch. That’s what makes this one of those flexible, easy recipes for dinner—err, dessert—that you’ll keep going back to.

6) Making Strawberry Danish Ahead of Time

You can absolutely prep these danishes ahead. Just assemble everything up to the baking step, then cover and refrigerate. Pop them into the oven when you’re ready.

They’re perfect for brunch parties because they let you look put together without stress. Nobody has to know you made them in advance while half-asleep in slippers. That’s between us.

If you need to make a bunch, double the recipe and bake on two sheets. Rotate them halfway through for even color. You’ll look like you run your own little café. Welcome to Elena Cooks, right?

7) Storing Leftover Strawberry Danish

Once they cool completely, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a toaster oven to get that crisp back.

Avoid the microwave. It turns the flaky pastry into a limp sponge. Not good. Trust me, a quick warm-up in the oven makes all the difference.

You can also freeze unbaked ones. Just wrap them tight and bake straight from frozen—add a couple of extra minutes in the oven. Easy, right? That’s the charm of easy recipes for dinner that moonlight as breakfast or dessert too.

8) Try these breakfast recipes next!

9) Strawberry Danish