Christmas Breakfast Danish with Cream Cheese and Cranberries

If you’re looking for something special to serve for Christmas breakfast, this Christmas breakfast Danish is an easy and delicious choice.

Flaky puff pastry is filled with sweetened cream cheese and tart cranberry filling, then baked until golden brown and drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze.

I love recipes like this for Christmas morning because they look like something you’d find in a bakery, but they’re surprisingly easy to make at home.

Using store-bought puff pastry makes preparation simple, and the combination of creamy filling and cranberries gives these Danish pastries a pretty holiday look.

Ingredients

For the Danish

• 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce or whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make Christmas Breakfast Danish

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into four equal squares.

Place the pastry squares on the prepared baking sheets. Using a knife, lightly score a smaller square inside each piece, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Don’t cut all the way through the pastry.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each pastry square. Add a small spoonful of cranberry sauce over the cream cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the edges of each pastry with the egg wash.

Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Make the Vanilla Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add a little more milk if needed to reach a drizzling consistency.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled Danish pastries before serving.

Tips for Making the Best Danish Pastries

Keep the puff pastry cold. Puff pastry is much easier to work with when it’s still cool. If it becomes too soft while you’re preparing the Danish, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Don’t overfill the pastries. A little cream cheese filling and cranberry sauce go a long way. Too much filling can bubble over while baking.

Use whole berry cranberry sauce. The whole cranberries add pretty pops of color and a little tartness that balances the sweet cream cheese.

Try a little orange zest. Adding a teaspoon of orange zest to the cream cheese filling gives these pastries a lovely Christmas flavor.

Can You Make Christmas Danish Ahead of Time?

You can prepare the cream cheese filling the day before and store it covered in the refrigerator.

For the best flaky texture, assemble and bake the Danish pastries the morning you plan to serve them.

You can also bake them ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm them briefly in a 300°F oven before serving.

I recommend adding the glaze just before serving.

More Christmas Breakfast Recipes

If you’re planning a Christmas breakfast or holiday brunch, here are a few more recipes to add to your menu.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

This overnight French toast casserole is a wonderful make-ahead breakfast for Christmas morning. Prepare it the night before and bake it while everyone is waking up.

Easy Make-Ahead Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Casserole

If your family loves cinnamon rolls, this easy breakfast casserole is another delicious option for a holiday morning.

Crock Pot Cranberry Butter

Serve homemade cranberry butter alongside your Danish pastries, toast, muffins, or warm biscuits for another festive cranberry treat.

These cream cheese cranberry Danish pastries are a delicious way to make Christmas morning feel a little more special. They’re flaky, sweet, a little tart, and pretty enough to serve for a holiday brunch.

Serve them with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, or a cup of coffee for a Christmas breakfast everyone will enjoy.

Follow my Christmas Breakfast board on Pinterest.