Description
These Strawberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Pastries are flaky, buttery puff pastries filled with a sweet and tangy cream cheese and strawberry mixture. Perfectly baked to golden perfection and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, they make a delightful breakfast treat or brunch addition.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 1 (8.6 oz) sheet puff pastry
Filling
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 Tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 drop red food coloring (or beet powder), optional
- 2/3 cup very small diced strawberries
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water
Finishing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Thaw and Preheat: Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions. Halfway through thawing, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to get it ready for baking.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the softened cream cheese, strawberry jam, and red food coloring or beet powder if using. Press the mixture along the bottom and sides of the bowl to smooth out any large lumps, then chill in the refrigerator or flash chill in the freezer to keep it firm.
- Cut Pastry Shapes: Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart shapes from the thawed puff pastry sheet. Space the cutter close together to maximize the number of hearts you get.
- Prepare Pastries on Baking Sheet: Transfer the cut hearts onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart to allow room for baking.
- Score Inner Heart: Using a sharp paring knife, lightly score a smaller heart inside each cut-out heart approximately 1/3 inch from the edge, making sure not to cut through the bottom layer of dough.
- Add Filling: Place about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each heart and gently spread outward, avoiding the 1/3-inch edge. Sprinkle the diced strawberries over the cream cheese layer, again keeping clear of the edges.
- Apply Egg Wash: Use your fingertip or a brush to apply the egg and water mixture along the 1/3-inch edge of each heart to help them brown during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and puffed.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pastries cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar and serve fresh the same day for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For a quicker preparation, cut 6 rectangles instead of hearts and slice more strawberries to cover the surface area.
- Increase cream cheese to 3 oz and strawberry jam to 2 1/2 Tbsp and strawberries to 1 cup when making rectangular pastries for better coverage.
- Chilling the cream cheese mixture ensures it doesn’t become runny during baking.
- Fresh strawberries should be very small diced to fit nicely on the pastry without sliding off.
- Use a silicone liner or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
