Sweet Apple & Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe: A Tasty Treat

Baking enthusiasts adore this delightful cream cheese puff pastry with apples that combines flaky layers and sweet fruit.

Crisp autumn apples nestle perfectly within golden, buttery pastry sheets.

The creamy cheese filling adds a luxurious touch to every delectable bite.

Rich, warm spices like cinnamon dance through each mouthwatering slice.

Simple ingredients come together to create a stunning dessert that looks professionally crafted.

Professional pastry chefs and home bakers alike will fall in love with this elegant treat.

Serve these delicate pastries warm for an irresistible dessert that promises to impress.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Total Time: 34 minutes

Calories: 240 kcal

Servings: 9

What’s in Cream Cheese Puff Pastry with Apples

• Apples: Sweet-tart baking apples that hold shape and provide delightful fruity burst, choose firm varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
• Water: Creates smooth base for apple mixture, helps blend flavors and achieve perfect consistency.
• Cornstarch: Thickens sauce and prevents runny filling, ensuring perfect texture.
• Sugar: Enhances natural apple sweetness and balances tartness.
• Cinnamon: Adds warm, aromatic depth to apple filling, creates comforting flavor profile.
• Lemon Juice: Prevents apple browning and adds bright, tangy undertone.

• Cream Cheese: Provides rich, creamy base with luxurious texture, select full-fat variety for best results.
• Sugar: Sweetens cream cheese mixture, balances tangy cream cheese flavor.
• Egg Yolk: Adds richness, helps bind ingredients, creates smooth consistency.
• Vanilla: Introduces subtle, complex sweetness and aromatic depth.
• Lemon Juice: Brightens cream cheese mixture, adds subtle citrus note.

• Puff Pastry: Delivers flaky, light texture, choose all-butter variety for superior taste.
• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, sweet glaze with silky consistency.
• Milk: Thins glaze and helps achieve drizzling consistency.
• Egg (for wash): Provides golden, glossy finish to pastry edges, optional but recommended.

Tools That Help You Handle Puff Pastry with Ease

• Mixing Bowl: Medium-sized for preparing cream cheese and apple filling mixtures.
• Saucepan: Low-heat cooking for apple filling sauce.
• Electric Mixer or Whisk: Beating cream cheese and mixing glaze.
• Baking Sheet: Lined with parchment paper for baking pastries.
• Rolling Pin: Smoothing out puff pastry seams.
• Sharp Knife: Cutting pastry dough into pieces.
• Pastry Brush: Optional for egg wash application.
• Small Bowl: Mixing glaze ingredients.
• Measuring Spoons and Cups: Precise ingredient measurements.

Building Cream Cheese Apple Pastries

• Apple Cinnamon Sensation

Warm and aromatic apple mixture simmered with sweet spices, creating a delightful fruity filling that will make your kitchen smell incredible.

• Creamy Dreamy Base

Soft cream cheese blended with subtle hints of vanilla and a touch of sweetness, providing a luxurious foundation for the pastry.

• Pastry Preparation

Gently unfold delicate puff pastry sheets, transforming them into golden, flaky canvases ready for delicious toppings.

• Assembly Magic

Carefully layer cream cheese and caramelized apple goodness onto each pastry piece, creating little pockets of culinary joy.

• Oven Transformation

Bake the pastries until they turn a gorgeous golden brown, watching them puff up and become irresistibly crispy around the edges.

• Finishing Touch

Drizzle a silky smooth glaze over the warm pastries, adding a final layer of sweetness that brings the entire dessert together.

Pastry Tricks to Get a Golden Finish

• Creative twists and helpful hints to elevate your apple cream cheese puffs.
• Experiment with different apple types like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fuji to create unique flavor profiles and textures in your filling.
• Enhance the warmth by adding ground nutmeg, cardamom, or a pinch of cloves to the apple mixture for a more complex and aromatic experience.
• Prepare the apple filling and cream cheese mixture up to two days in advance, storing them separately in the refrigerator to save time on baking day.
• Sprinkle chopped toasted almonds, crushed pecans, or a light dusting of cinnamon over the finished pastries for extra crunch and visual appeal.

Serving Suggestions for Apple Cream Cheese Pastry

• Sweet Morning Breakfast: Serve these delightful pastries alongside a steaming cup of coffee or freshly brewed tea for a luxurious breakfast experience that feels like a special treat.
• Elegant Dessert Presentation: Arrange the pastries on a beautiful ceramic plate, dust with powdered sugar, and garnish with fresh mint leaves for an impressive after-dinner sweet that looks professionally prepared.
• Ice Cream Companion: Top each warm pastry with a scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream to create a decadent contrast between the crispy, flaky pastry and the cool, creamy frozen dessert.
• Party Platter Delight: Create a beautiful pastry platter by varying the sizes and arranging the cream cheese apple puffs with different drizzle patterns, perfect for brunches, afternoon tea, or casual gatherings with friends and family.

How to Store Apple Puff Pastries

• Fridge-Friendly Storage: Keep these delightful pastries in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cool environment helps maintain their delicate texture and prevents the cream cheese from spoiling quickly.
• Freezer Magic: Want to enjoy these treats later? Wrap individual pastries in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag. They'll stay delicious for 2-3 weeks. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
• Reheating Hack: Bring back the pastry's crispy magic by warming them in a preheated oven at 325°F for 5-7 minutes. This method restores their flaky texture and brings out the warm apple and cream cheese flavors.
• Serving Temperature Tips: Best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature. If refrigerated, let the pastries sit out for 10-15 minutes before serving to ensure maximum flavor and optimal pastry crispness.

Flaky Cream Cheese Puff Pastry with Apples

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4.6 from 31 reviews

• Total Time: 34 minutes
• Yield: 9 1x

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Description

Danish-inspired cream cheese puff pastry with apples showcases delicate layers of flaky pastry filled with tangy cream cheese and caramelized apple goodness. Sweet and rich flavors invite bakers to savor each delightful bite of this classic European dessert.

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Ingredients

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• 1 box puff pastry dough, room temperature
• 8 oz (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks
• 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) water
• ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
• ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp (15 milliliters) lemon juice
• 1 tsp (5 milliliters) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 milliliters) vanilla
• ¼ tsp (1.25 milliliters) vanilla
• 1 tbsp (15 milliliters) milk

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Instructions

1. Prepare Sauce: Simmer water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice until the mixture thickens into a glossy sauce, creating a fragrant base for the apple filling.
2. Cook Apples: Fold apple chunks into the warm sauce, allowing them to soften and absorb the spices, then set aside to cool slightly while preparing the cream cheese mixture.
3. Create Cream Cheese Filling: Whip cream cheese until fluffy, blending in sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice until achieving a silky, smooth consistency.
4. Shape Pastry: Unfold puff pastry sheets and slice each into six rectangular pieces, arranging them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to create an elegant pastry canvas.
5. Assemble Pastries: Carefully spread cream cheese mixture and spiced apple filling in the center of each pastry rectangle, delicately scoring the edges to create a raised border without cutting completely through the dough.
6. Enhance and Bake: Optionally brush pastry edges with egg wash, then bake in a preheated oven until the pastries puff up and turn a rich golden-brown, transforming into delectable treats.
7. Finish and Glaze: After cooling slightly, drizzle a smooth glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla over the pastries, creating a luxurious final touch that adds a touch of sweetness and shine.

Notes

• Prevent Soggy Bottoms: Pat apple chunks dry before mixing to avoid excess moisture that can make pastry soggy.
• Perfect Cream Cheese Consistency: Ensure cream cheese is room temperature for smoother, lump-free filling that blends seamlessly.
• Pastry Handling Tip: Keep puff pastry chilled until just before use to maintain its delicate, flaky texture and prevent sticking.
• Baking Precision: Use a light-colored baking sheet to prevent over-browning and achieve uniform golden color on pastry edges.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 14 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 9
• Calories: 240
• Sugar: 21 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 31 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg