This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry has everything you’re looking for in a delicious sweet treat. It is a perfectly crisp and golden pastry with pockets of airy perfection. On top of the perfect crispy base lies a creamy, dreamy filling that will make you so happy you decided to treat yourself to this dessert.
The party doesn’t stop there. A generous layer of strawberry jam is slathered on top of the filling enhancing that fresh and delicious strawberry flavor. Lastly, to make this pastry even more delectable, we add the toppings. Sliced ruby-red strawberries are scattered on top of the pastry, adding a burst of freshness and sweetness to each mouthful. Now elevate this delicious treat one step further by adding some vanilla icing drizzle on top and a sweet tasty dusting of icing sugar.
But let’s not just talk about it; let’s explore the magical journey of crafting this divine treat.
Step 1: The Foundation – Flaky Pastry
You want 2 main characteristics from a pastry. Flaky and buttery. Whether you choose to make your own or opt for the convenience of a store-bought package, it can be made vegan. I personally went for the store-bought option and it worked beautifully.
Just be cautious that many store-bought puff pastries contain butter or milk in them. I recommend double-checking the ingredients to make sure your puff pastry is vegan if that is what you’re after.
The brand I found was from my local Superstore and is called 7 Days – Bake It Puff Pastry.
This pastry was really easy to work with. I left mine out to defrost for 2 hours per instruction and that was perfect. It easily unfolded and I just used a kitchen knife to divide the pastry into 8 rectangles. Then, use the knife to gently imprint a smaller rectangle into each of the 8 pieces. Don’t cut all the way through. This double rectangle shape helps the pastry to create that bed with raised sides creating walls to cradle strawberry cream cheese filling inside.
To get that nice golden colour on your pastry, it needs some sort of wash. I used a splash of non-dairy milk to gently brush the rectangle walls with the liquid. Then, I added a sprinkle of granulated sugar to the 4 walls of each pastry.
Step 2: The Heart – Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
Ah, cream cheese – the smooth, velvety heart of this pastry. One important lesson I learned with this recipe was the need to whip the cream cheese. I decided to throw it in the food processor and that was a mistake. It was a very runny mess. To make your cream cheese filling, whip it to silky perfection using a hand-held mixer.
Make it sweet. To make a strawberry cream cheese I added fresh pureed strawberries. Simply add them to a blender and pulse until it becomes a clumpy liquid. I also added vanilla extract and sugar to enhance the sweetness. It ends up being just the right amount of sweetness to complement the tartness of plain cream cheese.
Spread the love. Now it is absolutely possible to just spread the filling on the pastry with a spoon. It will still be perfectly delicious. I wanted to be a little extra for this and added the strawberry cream cheese filling into a piping bag for a nice bubbly squiggle.
Step 3: The Sparkle – Extra Strawberry Add-Ons
Strawberry jam is the perfect accompaniment to this already tasty pastry. I just add about a spoonful and spread it over top of the strawberry cream cheese filling. It’s an extra little burst of sweetness that enhances the experience.
Strawberries, fresh or baked? Not only do the strawberries add a pop of colour, but they also infuse each bite with a burst of juicy sweetness. Slice them thinly and arrange them with care, placing them on top of the strawberry jam layer.
My preference is to have fresh strawberry slices on top of the warm pastry. That said, you can always add them before you bake the pastry in the oven. You can even add the jam then too. I waited until the pastry was out of the oven and then added the jam and strawberries. But do you!
Step 4: The Finishing Touch – Glaze and Sprinkle
To truly elevate our Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry for the perfect experience, you might as well add the finishing touch. A glossy vanilla glaze, lightly drizzled over the top, helps add an extra bit of pizazz. For an extra flourish, sprinkle some powdered sugar to create a visual frosted look that’s as delightful to look at as it is to devour.
Step 5: Berry Good Pastry
The best part of the process – that first bite! This is one of those desserts that leaves you wanting more. It’s not overly heavy, rather, light and fluffy. If, on the off chance, you manage to have a few leftovers, these pastries can be refrigerated for about 5 days.
I’ve always been a fan of pastries but also thought it to be a very tedious or complicated process. Granted it probably is if you’re making it from scratch. Nonetheless, I am surprised at how easy this process was to create such a creamy and berry delicious pastry. A Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry never fails to hit the spot.
These Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastries also scream adorable Valentine’s treats. I cut my fresh strawberries like hearts to make it an extra lovable dessert.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for these Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastries! If you make them, please leave a comment below (it helps others to find the recipe). As always, please feel free to share your creations with me. Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest so that I can see your yummy dishes!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastry
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 handheld mixer
Ingredients
1 Package of Puff Pastry, Dethawed
- 1 Pastry Sheet
- 2 tbsp Dairy-free Milk
- 1 tbsp tbsp Granulated Sugar
Strawberry Cream Cheese
- 14 oz Cream Cheese vegan
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 ¼ cup Strawberries chopped
- ½ tbsp Vanilla Extract
Add-Ons
- 3-4 tbsp Strawberry Jam warmed
- Strawberries sliced for topping
- ¼ cup Vanilla Icing Drizzle ¼ tsp vanilla, ½ powdered sugar, 4 tsp non-dairy milk
Instructions
Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
- Puree strawberries by adding the chunks to a blender and pulse until it is a chunky liquid.
- In a large mixing bowl add 14 ounces of cream cheese, pureed strawberries, 1 tbsp sugar, and ½ tbsp of vanilla extract.
- Use a handheld mixer and whip the strawberry cream cheese filling until combined and thickened.
Puff Pastry
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Layout pastry dough. Divide each sheet into 8 rectangles.
- Use a knife to imprint a smaller rectangle into each of the 8 pieces. Don’t cut all the way through. These double rectangle shapes create a bed with raised sides to cradle strawberry cream cheese filling inside.
- Brush the outside border with non-dairy milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Fill the bed of the pastry with the strawberry cream cheese filling by spreading the mixture in the middle. Optional: Add the strawberry cream cheese filling to a piping bag and squiggle it out.
- Bake the pastries for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool for a few minutes before adding additional toppings (strawberry jam, sliced strawberries, and vanilla icing drizzle).
Heads up: My posts may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, I’ll get a small commission. But don’t worry – you won’t pay any extra for that. It just helps support me so I can continue making content for you 💕. Thanks!
These are absolutely delicious!! I adore the little heart strawberries.