Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers

Name: Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 10 ounce bag Frozen Cherries, pitted and defrosted (but not drained); 1 tablespoon Cornstarch; ¼ teaspoon Almond extract; 3 tablespoons Cherry preserves; 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese, softened; 1 1 Egg yolk; ⅓ cup Sugar; 2 tablespoons Flour; 1 teaspoon Lemon zest; ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract; 1 large Egg (for the egg wash ); 1 tablespoon Water; 2 tablespoons Powdered Sugar (for garnish )

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Filled with chunky cherry jam and Mascarpone cream cheese, this easy Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers are made with store-bought puff pastry as a fantastic shortcut. They taste like they came from the local bakery!

a white plate with a pastry on it and a fork.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Step-By-Step Instructions
Expert Tips and Possible Substitutions
Serving Ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes
Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here’s a recipe for easy homemade pastries with cherry cheese filling that uses frozen puff pastry sheets instead of traditional laminated pastry made from a leavened dough or pie crust. Bottom line? This cherry turnover recipe is much quicker.

This pastry rises beautifully thanks to the steam from the oven, and it tastes amazing too. Here’s a few more good reasons to make these easy cherry cream cheese danishes:

These easy puff pastry cherry turnovers taste fantastic on a weekend morning.
Mascarpone cheese is used because of it’s rich, creamy, soft texture and mild flavor.
No need to wait til cherry season! Frozen cherries are transformed into a sweet, chunky cherry jam to nestle on top of each turnover.
Puff pastry sheets are easy to find in the freezer section of the grocery store.
If you’re interested in other brunch-y food, here’s some other recipes to bookmark for later! This exceptionally moist Banana Bread, this fabulous Fresh Banana Cake, or this very, very good Fruit Toast. Bookmark for later!

Ingredients You’ll Need

a yellow tray of ingredients, each one labled.

For the full recipe and list of instructions and ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.

Mascarpone Cheese: Similar to cream cheese but not as tangy or stiff, this cheese is easy to find in the cheese section and has a soft, creamy texture and mild flavor.
Puff Pastry: We’ll use a sheet of puff pastry, which usually come two to a pack in the freezer section.
Cherries: A bag of frozen, pitted cherries (organic if possible) to make the sweet filling. Defrost in the refrigerator before you start the recipe.
Cherry Jam: To really ramp up the cherry flavors in this recipe.
Eggs: Used to hold the cheese mixture together, plus another one to seal the edges of the pastries.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice & zest really brightens all the flavors up.
Powdered Sugar: Just for show, and to make them look pretty.

Step-By-Step Instructions

a baking sheet and two danish pastry in the process of being assembled

For the full recipe and list of instructions and ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.

Make the cherry filling by gently cooking the defrosted cherries in a medium-sized saucepan with a little cornstarch to thicken it, and some cherry jam.
While the cherries are cooling, put the cheese in a medium bowl with a (room temperature) egg yolk, a little sugar, some pure vanilla extract and lemon zest, then blend with an electric mixer.
Combine some flour with the cream cheese to help it from spreading when baked. Use a pastry brush or spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl when mixing the cheese to make sure everything is incorporated.
Prep the puff pastry dough by defrosting, then unfolding and lightly rolling it out with a rolling pin on a work surface. We’re striving for a seamless dough sheet, cut into four equal squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
Add some cheese in the center of each square, making an indent with the back of your spoon to make a little well, then spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cooled cherry mixture on top.
Brush all four sides of the four-inch square with egg wash, then gather up the four corners and pinch the sides edges together to seal.
Carefully place turnovers on a prepared baking sheet. Use a small bowl to make an egg wash to brush on top of each pastry.
Bake turnovers to a deep golden brown, then cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Expert Tips and Possible Substitutions

Be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking. You can use silicone reusable baking sheet liners instead too.
Use the back of a spoon to make an indentation in the cheese mixture, then spoon the cherry mixture on top of that. This will help the cherries stay in place with baking.
Be sure to freeze the assembled pastries for 15 minutes before baking. This will help them stay together from the heat of the oven.
That said, if they bust apart like in my photo above, it’s not the worst thing in the world! They will still look and taste great!
Don’t like cherries? Experiment with other fruits using the same technique, but best to stick to berries in this case. Blueberry or raspberry are good places to start, and it’s easy to find jam in these flavors too.
The cherry filling for this recipe needs to completely cool before assembling the pastries. After its cooled down initially, best to refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more, or overnight.
You’ll have a bit of the cherry mixture left over, which is amazing on oatmeal or plain Greek yogurt, and will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
Don’t have time to make homemade puff pastry? Me neither. You’ll spend way less time using Pepperidge Farms puff pastry.

Serving Ideas

four pastries with powdered sugar — These flaky cherry turnovers are wonderful with a cup of hot coffee.

There’s nothing wrong with having one of these cherry cheese danish straight from the oven with a hot cup of coffee. Or this amazing hot chocolate. Not one thing.
You could double this recipe (or make them smaller) and have them with a brunch spread of Zucchini Potato Frittata, some fresh salads like this delightful Carrot and Currant Salad a fresh, crunchy Celery Parmesan Salad, and some crispy bacon or link sausage and sliced seasonal fruit.
Bookmark this Power Breakfast Bowl too.
You could go over the top and also indulge in these tasty Waffles with Spiced Apples too (keep the waffles warm in a low oven if making for a crowd).
And don’t forget dessert! You could go the fruit dessert route, like this reader favorite Strawberry Cheesecake in a Jar, or Mini Blueberry Pies, this easy and fabulous Ice Cream Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache, or make this impressive Chocolate Hummus Dessert Tray with some little cookies alongside. Or, just make these incredible tasting Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies and this Hawaiian Shortbread Cookie Recipe and call it good!.

Frequently Asked Questions

a cheese danish on a blue and white plate with a fork on a blue table. — The Cherry Puff Pastry Turnovers are perfectly fine if they split open with baking. Sprinkle on powdered sugar and serve.

Can I make these cherry puff pastry turnovers in advance?

Yes you can make these the day before, assembled, but keep them well wrapped and refrigerated and add the egg wash right before baking.

Can the assembled turnovers be frozen?

Yes, they freeze beautifully too! Don’t bake the danish before freezing. Just assemble them, minus the egg wash, wrap well and freeze for up to 30 days. When you’re ready to bake, defrost for 30-40 minutes, brush on the egg wash and bake according to the directions.

Don’t put the egg wash on the outside of the pastries before freezing! Also note that the total baking time might be a little longer to achieve a golden brown finish when they’ve been stored in the freezer this way, so it may take a few minutes longer.

How do I store the pastries?

For best results, eat this pastry the same day it’s made. If there are a few left over, wrap them up individually, or use an airtight container to store them in the refrigerator for a day, maybe two.

The recipe calls for almond extract, do I have to use it?

Nope. Though almond extract works deliciously with cherries, if you don’t have it or don’t to buy it, just use pure vanilla extract instead.

What if I can’t find Mascarpone cream cheese?

Then just use regular or light cream cheese (not non fat!) instead. Bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes to make mixing easier.

What if I’m really short on time, or don’t feel like making the cherry mixture?

Well, good news. Use prepared cherry pie filling. Just a heaping tablespoon, and you’re all set.

More Recipes

Rosa Parks Pancakes Recipe: Peanut buttery good.
Starbucks Copycat Eggwhite Bites Recipe: So easy to make, delicious too.
Zucchini Potato Frittata: Would be excellent with this puff pastry recipe.
Cheese Puff Pastry Bites: Fun to make and eat.
Chocolate Snowflake Cookies: Big and thick with a chocolate drizzle.
Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole Recipe: A very good weekend recipe.
Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Snack Bars Recipe: Amazing!
Cherry Almond Oatmeal: A special take on morning oatmeal.
Triple Chocolate Cookies: Fudgy and brownie-like with deep chocolate flavor.
Dark Cherry Smoothie: Cold and refreshing with a burst of cherry.
Baked Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes: Savory and delicious, super easy, too.
Fresh Cherry Blackbottom Milkshakes: A great dessert year-round.
Decorated Chocolate Covered Strawberries: These are special and delish.
Lemon Shortbread Cookies: Thick, soft and full of fresh lemon flavor.

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