Easy Blackberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish Swirls

Have you ever pressed your nose against a bakery window, captivated by the perfectly spiraled, glistening pastries, and thought, “That’s an art form I could never master”? Many of us believe that creating such beautiful danishes is a complex, all-day affair reserved for professional bakers. But I’m here to let you in on a little secret: you can achieve that stunning, bakery-quality look and taste right in your own kitchen, and it’s far easier than you think.

This recipe for Blackberry & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish Swirls uses a clever “jelly-roll” technique with store-bought puff pastry to create those gorgeous spirals. We’ll pair a bright, homemade blackberry compote with a luscious vanilla-lemon cream cheese filling for a pastry that is flaky, creamy, tangy, and sweet all in one bite. Prepare to wow yourself (and anyone lucky enough to share with you!).

Ingredients for Your Danish Swirls

This recipe uses simple, high-quality ingredients to create a truly special treat. Here’s exactly what you’ll need, broken down by component for easy preparation.

this now & bake later ❤️

Timing

This impressive brunch pastry comes together in about an hour, making it perfect for a special weekend treat without an all-day commitment.

• Preparation Time: 25 minutes
• Chilling Time: 15 minutes
• Baking Time: 22 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour, 2 minutes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these instructions to create perfectly spiraled, flaky, and delicious danishes. Let’s start with the vibrant blackberry compote!

Step 1: Make the Blackberry Compote

First, create the beautiful fruit filling. In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, cooking for 4–6 minutes. As it cooks, use a spoon to gently break up some of the berries to release their juices. If you’re using thyme, add the sprig now. In a small bowl, stir your cornstarch and cold water together to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering berries. Cook for another 30–60 seconds until the compote becomes glossy and noticeably thicker. Remove it from the heat, discard the thyme sprig, and set it aside to cool completely.

Step 2: Whip Up the Cream Cheese Filling

While the compote cools, prepare the creamy filling. In a medium bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt until the mixture is completely smooth and pipeable. Add the egg yolk (or cornstarch) and beat again until fully combined. The egg yolk adds richness and helps the filling set beautifully during baking.

Step 3: Build the Swirl Rolls

This is where the magic happens! On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out one sheet of puff pastry to a rectangle of about 25×30 cm / 10×12 inches. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese filling over the pastry, leaving a 1 cm (½ inch) border on one of the long edges. Spoon or pipe thin ribbons of the cooled blackberry compote over the cream cheese. Don’t overdo it—most of the filling is added after slicing! Starting from the long edge without the border, roll the pastry up tightly into a log, jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal it. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry. Wrap both logs in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up. This is the key to getting clean, neat slices!

Step 4: Slice, Shape, and Fill the Danishes

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For extra-neat danishes with taller sides, you can use a buttered standard muffin tin. Remove the chilled logs from the freezer. Trim the uneven ends, then slice each log into 4–5 thick rounds (about 3–4 cm / 1¼–1½ inches thick). Place the rounds cut-side up on your baking sheet or into the muffin tin. Gently use your thumbs to press a shallow well into the center of each swirl.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection

Now for the final filling. Brush the exposed pastry edges of each swirl with the egg wash. This will give them a beautiful, golden shine. Pipe or spoon about 1–2 teaspoons of the remaining cream cheese filling into the well you created, then top that with 1–2 teaspoons of the remaining blackberry compote. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the pastries are deeply golden, puffed up, and cooked through.

Step 6: Glaze and Garnish

For that professional bakery-window shine, gently warm the apricot jam with 1 teaspoon of water in the microwave or a small saucepan. While the danishes are still hot from the oven, lightly brush this glaze over the top of each one. To finish, top each danish with a fresh blackberry, a sprinkle of toasted nuts, and a few fresh thyme leaves, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Here is an estimated nutritional breakdown per danish, assuming the recipe yields 10 pastries.

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Protein: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g (Sugar: 18 g)
• Fat: 24 g (Saturated: 12 g)

These pastries are an indulgent treat, perfect for a special occasion.

Healthier Alternatives

While these are designed to be a treat, here are a few simple swaps to lighten them up slightly:

• Lower-Fat Cream Cheese: Use Neufchâtel cheese, which has about one-third less fat than regular cream cheese, for a lighter filling.
• Reduce Sugar: You can reduce the sugar in the blackberry compote to your liking, especially if your berries are very sweet.
• Skip the Glaze: To cut down on a little extra sugar, you can skip the apricot glaze and still have a beautiful, delicious pastry.

Serving Suggestions

These blackberry cream cheese danishes are a showstopper all on their own and are perfect for a variety of occasions.

• Weekend Brunch: Be the hero of your next brunch by serving a platter of these warm from the oven. They are absolutely heavenly with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.
• Special Breakfast: Make a holiday morning or birthday breakfast extra special. They feel incredibly festive and celebratory.
• Afternoon Treat: Enjoy one as a delightful afternoon pick-me-up. They are the perfect way to make any ordinary day feel a little more luxurious.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few tips to ensure your puff pastry danishes turn out perfectly.

• Using Warm Puff Pastry: If your pastry is warm, the butter layers will melt, and it won’t puff up into those light, flaky layers.
  • Solution: Always work with puff pastry that is thawed but still very cold. If it gets soft while you’re working, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
• Overfilling the Roll: It’s tempting to load up the inside of the log, but this will cause the filling to ooze out during slicing and baking.
  • Solution: Remember that the initial layers of filling are thin. Most of the filling is added to the well after the log is sliced.
• Slicing a Soft Log: Trying to slice a soft, room-temperature log will result in squished, messy swirls.
  • Solution: Do not skip the 10-15 minute chill in the freezer! This step is crucial for firming up the log and achieving clean, defined spirals.

Storing and Make-Ahead Tips

These danishes are at their absolute best when fresh from the oven, but here’s how to handle leftovers or prepare them in advance.

• Storing: Store cooled danishes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften over time.
• Reheating: To revive their crispness, reheat them in a 175°C (350°F) oven or an air fryer for 3–5 minutes.
• Make-Ahead (Best Method): This recipe is fantastic for making ahead! Follow the recipe through slicing the logs. Place the unbaked, unfilled swirls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. You can bake them directly from frozen at 190°C (375°F), adding 5–7 extra minutes to the baking time.

Conclusion

Creating a beautiful, flaky, and delicious pastry doesn’t have to be an intimidating process. With this Blackberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish recipe, you can bring the magic of a high-end bakery right into your home kitchen. The combination of the tangy blackberry compote, the creamy lemon-vanilla filling, and the buttery, crisp pastry is truly a match made in heaven. This is more than just a recipe; it’s a chance to create a special moment and a delicious memory.

We hope you love these danishes as much as we do! Give them a try and let us know in the comments below how they turned out. We’d love to see your beautiful swirls! Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more delightful baking inspiration.

FAQs

Q1. Can I use other berries in this recipe?

Absolutely! As the recipe notes suggest, this would be delicious with raspberries, blueberries, or even chopped strawberries. You may need to adjust the sugar in the compote slightly depending on the sweetness of your fruit.

Q2. Is it necessary to use a muffin tin?

No, it’s completely optional! Baking the danishes on a flat baking sheet will result in swirls that spread out a bit more, which is also beautiful. The muffin tin is a great trick, as the recipe mentions, to help them bake up taller and maintain a perfectly round shape.

Q3. Can I use homemade puff pastry?

If you are an experienced baker with a trusted recipe for homemade puff pastry, it would be absolutely phenomenal in this recipe! However, the beauty of this version lies in its simplicity and accessibility using high-quality, all-butter store-bought puff pastry.

Q4. What if I don’t have apricot jam for the glaze?

No problem! You can simply skip the glaze, or you can make a simple sugar glaze instead. Just whisk together about ½ cup of powdered sugar with 1–2 teaspoons of milk or lemon juice until you have a smooth, drizzling consistency. Drizzle it over the cooled pastries.

Easy Blackberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish Swirls

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• Author: Evelyn Marcella Rivera
• Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
• Yield: 10 danishes 1x

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Description

Ingredients for Your Danish Swirls. Flaky all-butter puff pastry rolled with vanilla cream cheese and a bright blackberry compote, glazed with apricot jam and finished with fresh berries and toasted nuts.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Pastry

• 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry (thawed but cold; about 500 g total)
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp milk (egg wash)

For the Vanilla Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• fine salt (a pinch)
• large egg yolk OR cornstarch (use 1 yolk or 1 Tbsp cornstarch)

For the Blackberry Compote

• 2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen) (plump berries)
• 1/4–1/3 cup granulated sugar (50-70 g, to taste)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp cornstarch (mix with 1 tsp cold water for slurry)
• 1 tsp cold water (for slurry)
• fine salt (a pinch)
• 1 small sprig fresh thyme (optional)

For the Finish

• 2 Tbsp apricot jam (for glazing)
• 1 tsp water (to loosen jam)
• 8–10 fresh blackberries (for topping)
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds
• fresh thyme leaves (optional) (a few)

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Instructions

1. Make blackberry compote: In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Simmer 4–6 minutes, gently crushing some berries. Add thyme if using. Stir cornstarch with cold water, then whisk slurry into berries and cook 30–60 seconds until glossy and thick. Remove thyme; cool completely.
2. Mix cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese with sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pipeable. Beat in either 1 egg yolk or 1 Tbsp cornstarch until fully combined.
3. Build swirl logs: On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet to about 25×30 cm (10×12 in). Spread a thin layer of cream cheese, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 in) border on one long edge. Spoon thin ribbons of cooled compote over cream cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style from the long edge; pinch seam. Repeat with second sheet. Wrap logs and chill in freezer 10–15 minutes to firm.
4. Slice, shape & fill: Heat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet (or butter a muffin tin for taller sides). Trim ends; slice each log into 4–5 rounds (3–4 cm thick). Set cut-side up and press a shallow well in the center.
5. Bake: Brush pastry edges with egg wash. Pipe 1–2 tsp remaining cream cheese into each well, then 1–2 tsp compote. Bake 18–22 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.
6. Glaze & garnish: Warm apricot jam with water. Brush hot pastries with glaze. Top with a fresh blackberry, toasted nuts, and a few thyme leaves if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

For extra-neat swirls, slice chilled logs with a sharp, serrated knife in a gentle sawing motion. Using a muffin tin helps the swirls bake tall with crisp edges. Cool compote fully before assembling to keep layers defined.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
• Cuisine: American, Bakery

Nutrition

• Calories: 380
• Sugar: 18
• Fat: 24
• Saturated Fat: 12
• Carbohydrates: 35
• Protein: 5