Cranberry Cream Cheese Pastries (Printable View)

Flaky puff pastry envelopes tangy cranberry sauce and creamy cheese for a festive sweet treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 sheet puff pastry (8.8 oz), thawed
02 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

→ Cream Cheese Filling

03 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

→ Cranberry Sauce

06 - 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
07 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 tbsp orange juice
09 - 1 tsp orange zest
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Optional Topping

11 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for dusting)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and sauce thickens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
03 - In a bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10x10 inch square. Cut into 8 equal rectangles.
05 - Place rectangles on baking sheet. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling onto center of each, then top with 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.
06 - Fold corners of each rectangle toward center and pinch lightly to seal, or leave open for a rustic finish.
07 - Brush each pastry with beaten egg evenly.
08 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and puffed.
09 - Allow pastries to cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 40 minutes, making them perfect for when you want to feel fancy without the stress.
  • The contrast between creamy, tangy filling and tart-sweet cranberries is genuinely addictive.
  • Puff pastry does most of the heavy lifting, so even baking beginners end up with restaurant-quality results.
  • They work equally well for a sophisticated breakfast, afternoon tea, or unexpected dessert.
02 -
  • Cooling the cranberry sauce before filling is non-negotiable—warm sauce melts the pastry and creates a soggy, disappointing result.
  • Don't skip the parchment paper; it prevents the butter from sticking to the pan and ruining those crispy bottoms.
  • If your cream cheese is cold and lumpy, beat it alone for a minute before adding sugar and vanilla, or your filling won't be silky.
03 -
  • Keep your cream cheese and egg cold until the very last moment; cold fills less likely to melt through the pastry before it bakes.
  • If corners are browning too quickly toward the end of baking, loosely tent the baking sheet with foil for the final 2 to 3 minutes.

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