This cream cheese puff pastry recipe is basically mini cheesecakes baked in a flaky pastry with a buttery pecan crumble and cream cheese filling. Top them with fresh fruit for a gorgeous dessert for holidays, brunch, showers, or any special occasion.
Puff Pastry with Cream Cheese Filling
To me there is nothing better than the crispy yumminess of puff pastry desserts. One of our most popular recipes here are these apple puff pastry roses.
These little delicious pastries are similar to cheese danishes but they are baked in a muffin tin instead. So, I think they are more like mini cheesecakes in flaky puff pastry dough.
They are fun to customize however you’d like. Top them with any favorite berry you’d like to make them extra elegant. You can even top them with mini chocolate chips, fruit preserves, coconut flakes or drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze of powdered sugar and milk or heavy cream would be great.
Another variation is to add a teaspoon of lemon juice or almond extract to the filling for a flavored filling.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour – Use oat flour or gluten-free flour if preferred.
- Pecans – I chop them finely. You can swap the pecans for walnut or almonds. If you’d like a nut free version, just leave them out altogether so add a teaspoon of lemon zest.
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Butter – Use salted or unsalted. Be sure the butter is cold so it creates a nice crumble.
- Block cream cheese – Softened to room temperature. I just let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while I am prepping everything else.
- Sugar – regular white granulated sugar.
- Eggs – room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Frozen puff pastry – thawed but make sure it’s still cold. It bakes best when it’s still cold. If the pastry dough gets close to room temperature, you may want to pop them in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before baking to chill it again. I love store-bought puff pastry. Pepperidge Farm brand is favorite. Use a gluten free puff pastry if needed.
How to Make This Puff Pastry Dessert Recipe
These pretty little puff pastries are easy to make and look like something straight from a bakery.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400° F and grease a 12 count muffin tin with cooking spray. Spray the top as well since part of the pastry dough will sit along the edge.
Step 1: In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Add in the cold butter and press it into the flour mixture until crumbly. Set aside.
Step 1: In the medium bowl, add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar and blend on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until smooth. (Use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment for this).
Add in the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Do not over mix it.
Step 1: Roll out the puff pastry sheet on flat surface and cut each of them, with a sharp knife, pastry cutter or pizza cutter, into 4 even sized squares so you have 12 equal squares.
Step 1: Press a square into each cavity of the muffin leaving the corners on the edge of the greased pan.
Step 1: Scoop 2 tablespoons of the pecan mixture into the bottom of each pastry cup and gently press it down with your fingers
Step 1: Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly into each cup over top of the pecans, filling each cup almost to the top edge.
Step 1: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the puff is golden brown (but don’t let cream cheese filling brown. (don't be alarmed if the pastry puffs up. This is normal and it will settle once you remove them from the oven.
Step 1: Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely. After cooling, place them in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour or overnight is fine as well.
Top with fresh strawberries, blueberry, blackberries or a mix of berries if you'd like when ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a little extra flair.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store these leftover cheesecake cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They may lose some of their crispiness but they are still so good.
Freeze: You can freeze them without any fruit toppings. Just place them in a single layer (or separated with parchment paper) in a freezer bag or container and freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator when ready and top with any fruit before serving.
If you love this cream cheese puff pastry, make these other recipes using puff pastry next:
Easy Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter cold
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 sheets puff pastry thawed but still cold
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400° F and grease a 12 count muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Add in the cold butter and press it into the flour mixture until crumbly. Set aside.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup pecans, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ cup butter
- In the medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar and blend on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until smooth.24 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add in the vanilla extract and the eggs and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Do not over mix it.3 large eggs, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- Unroll each puff pastry on flat surface and cut them into 4 even sized squares each so you have 12 squares. Using a pizza cutter is great for this.3 sheets puff pastry
- Press a square into each cavity of the muffin leaving the corners on the edge of the greased pan.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of the flour and pecan mixture into the bottom of each pastry cup and gently press it down with your fingers
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly into each cup over top of the pecan mixture. (fill each cup almost to the top edge.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the puff is gold brown but not the cheesecake filling being brown. (don't be alarmed if the pastry puffs up a lot. This is normal.)
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely. After cooling, place them in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour or overnight is fine as well.
- Top with fresh strawberries, blueberry, blackberries etc. if you'd like when ready to serveWhen you are ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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