This cranberry cream cheese puff pastry recipe is absolutely delicious. Made with fresh cranberries and orange and a sweet cream cheese filling, these pastries are rolled up like crescents and baked until golden.
I love making sweets, especially pastries. I make them year-round. In the summer, I love to make pastries with peaches, pears, and other in-season fruits. In the fall and winter, I love to make apple pastries as well as cranberry and orange pastries for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They’re such classic holiday flavors, and we all love our sweets during the holiday season. They’re just the perfect festive snack. I’ve been making these particular pastries for several years now, and they continue to be a favorite dessert among both family and friends. I make these for holiday potluck parties as well as our family holiday gatherings. I usually make a double batch because everyone loves them so much, and if I happen to have a couple left over, it’s just more for me!
Cranberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry
This delicious sweet treat combines a rich, sweet cream cheese filling along with a fruit filling of fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange juice. Then, the fillings are wrapped up in puff pastry and baked to flaky, golden-brown perfection. It’s a sweet dessert or snack that’s full of the flavors of the holidays and so perfect for the cooler weather when served warm and fresh from the oven.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe
- They’re so festive and flavorful, and they make a delicious holiday dessert or snack.
- They’re flaky and filled with a sweet cream cheese filling and fresh cranberries with orange.
- The flavor combo of cranberry and orange always makes a delicious-tasting treat.
Tips
- Always rinse and sort your cranberries to remove any pesticides and cull any damaged berries.
- Really mix the cream cheese filling to ensure that it’s fully incorporated.
- Don’t leave your cranberries unattended while cooking them. They can easily burn.
Recipe FAQ
Puff pastry is routinely used for both sweet and savory dishes like pies, pastries, palmiers, baked brie, or beef Wellington.
No. Although both use essentially the same ingredients, they are created quite differently and have very different textures. In pie crusts, the butter is cut into tiny pieces and mixed into the dough to form a homogenous dough. Puff pastry uses butter that is cut into thin layers and is alternated with a layer of dough.
Puff pastry should be thawed for proper and even cooking. The butter in the puff pastry must be able to melt readily while being baked.
They’ll keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Store Leftovers
Store these pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.
Cranberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. You’ll find them all easily at your local grocery store.
- Store-bought puff pastry sheets
- Large egg
- Water
Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream cheese, softened
- Egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
Cranberry Filling
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Zest from 2 oranges
- Orange juice
- Cornstarch
How to Make Cranberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry
Making this recipe is incredibly easy. Although it’s a homemade treat, even beginners can make it quickly and easily.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cranberry Filling
Place the cranberries in a medium saucepan. Then, sprinkle them with sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and cornstarch. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cranberries burst and start to thicken, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Step 3: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Then, add the egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until well incorporated.
Step 4: Make the Pastries
Roll out the pastry sheets on a floured surface and place one of the sheets on the prepared baking sheet. Then, spread half the cream cheese mixture over the puff pastry followed by half the cranberry sauce mixture. Top the filling with the other puff pastry. Cut the stuffed sheets into diagonal strips and roll up like crescent rolls. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry.
Step 5: Bake
Brush the rolled-up pastries with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar or make a simple glaze and drizzle over the pastries.
Try These Delicious Cranberry Cream Cheese Pastries Today
This easy, delicious cranberry cream cheese puff pastry recipe is simple to make and loaded with classic holiday flavors. These pastries make great Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts, snacks, and appetizers, and the leftovers are perfect for a sweet breakfast with coffee or milk along with your favorite savory breakfast options. Give this recipe a try, and I know everyone will love them, especially you!
More Delicious Cranberry Recipes You’ll Love
Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies – These delicious oatmeal cookies are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and loaded with fresh chopped cranberries and pecans. Absolutely delicious!
Cranberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cranberry Filling
- 12 ounce fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Zest from 2 oranges
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pastries
- 2 boxes puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cranberry Filling
- Rinse cranberries and place in a medium saucepan.
- Sprinkle cranberries with sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and cornstarch.
- Stir and heat over medium heat until cranberries burst and start to thicken. Stir frequently.
- Let cool.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Add egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until well incorporated.
Assembling the Pastries
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry sheets and place one on the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread half the cream cheese mixture over puff pastry followed by half of the cranberry mixture.
- Top with another puff pastry sheet.
- Make diagonal cuts and roll up like crescents. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheets.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
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Are these best eaten cold or more like room temp?
Hi Heather, Either way is great. Personal preference really. I like them at room temperature right after they are made. ;)
How many diagonal cuts do you make? I cannot picture it.
Thank you
Hi Dawn, Depending on the size you want them, you should be able to get 8-10 out of this recipe. I do have a photo towards the bottom that shows a small pic of the in process shots and there is one photo that shows the cuts. I hope you enjoy this recipe. :)
I buy the frozen puff pastry, it is rolled out an on parchment paper, all the recipes say to roll it out, so do I roll it out some more?
Hi Donna,
Just basically roll out the seams so it’s smooth. I hope you enjoy these pastries. :)
Thanks for the quick reply, I was also thinking a good way to use up left over cranberry sauce.!
Yes! You could definitely use that too! :)