These bakery-style cherry puff pastry tarts are elegant, rustic, and a breeze to make. With each delicious creamy bite, you get a mouthful of jammy summer cherries tucked inside rich, buttery, flaky layers of pastry!
This recipe is a shortcut to a cherry Danish pastry! We use store-bought puff pastry, simple cream cheese filling, and cherry compote that comes together in minutes. Such an easy way to create a bakery-worthy treat!
Got some puff pastry on hand? Try my delicious strawberry puff pastry tart, apple puff pastry tart, and this decadent chocolate puff pastry braid!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨These cream cheese cherry tarts look so fancy, but they are incredibly simple to make, with store-bought pastry doing all the heavy lifting!
✨This is a deliciously creamy, luscious dessert packed with a mouthful of cherries in lighter-than-air, flaky, buttery pastry layers!
✨Easy make-ahead cherry pastry dessert! Prep all the components a day ahead, assemble and bake the next day. Perfect for stress-free entertaining or weekend baking!
✨These easy cherry tarts are wonderful for brunch, an evening snack, or a dessert- perfect for guests, easy enough for a weekday treat!
Recipe Ingredients
Puff pastry: Making desserts with puff pastry is a breeze! And store-bought pastry makes life so much easier. But by all means, use homemade pastry dough if you wish.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture. You can also use homemade cream cheese here.
Sugar: For sweetening the cream cheese filling and the cherry compote.
Cherries: Since we are making a cherry compote for the filling, you can easily use fresh cherries or frozen ones. You can even try a homemade strawberry chia jam, cherry jam, or an easy strawberry filling like I did for my strawberry turnovers.
Please see the recipe card for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Cherry Puff Pastry Tarts
Make the cherry compote
Step 1: Make the cherry compote. Cook pitted cherries in water with some sugar and vanilla extract for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat till the water evaporates and the fruit is soft and cooked through.
Step 2: Splash a teaspoon of lemon juice on the thickened compote and turn off the heat. Let the compote cool. As an option, you can add rum, whiskey, or brandy to it. I didn’t. If you do, let the compote cool a bit before you whisk the booze in.
Make the cream cheese filling
Step 3: While the compote cools completely, combine softened cream cheese with icing sugar and lemon juice. If you love that bright lemony flavor, include lemon zest too. Place the mixture in the fridge.
Assemble the puff pastry cherry tarts
Step 4: Roll out the puff pastry into a 10 by 14-inch rectangle or a 14-inch by 14-inch square.
Step 5: Divide the rolled dough into 8 equal pieces and fold over the corners (about half an inch). You may need to wet the pastry slightly with water and press it down to make the folds stick.
Step 6: Spoon the cream cheese mixture right in the center of the cherry tart. Depending upon the size of your puff pastry, one and a half to 2 tablespoons should be enough. Don’t spread it.
Step 7: Place a spoonful of the cherry compote right in the middle of the cream cheese. It’s perfectly all right if the juices run wild. A cherry danish with puff pastry is meant to look rustic. Repeat the steps for all the other tarts. Carefully brush the half-inch border of the pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle sugar and then, with a fork, press the edges.
Step 8: Bake until the pastry is crisp and golden. Allow the cream cheese cherry tarts to cool for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- You can use frozen cherries instead of fresh ones for the cherry compote. You may need to simmer them a bit longer to reduce the extra liquid.
- You can easily make these cherry tarts ahead of time. Make the cherry compote and cream cheese filling a day before, assemble the tarts the next day, and bake.
- If you don't want to use egg wash, swap it with milk or cream.
- Allow the quick puff pastry tarts to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
How To Serve
Right out of the oven, the cherry puff pastry is, well, puffy, around the edges. It settles into the flaky, buttery layers as it cools, making it look very much like a Danish. Just a bit more rustic.
This mini cherry dessert is delicious served warm as-is. Feel free to top the tarts with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream!
I absolutely love these cold, straight from the fridge, too!
How To Store Cherry Puff Pastry Tarts
These cherry tarts are best the day they are made. But they will stay well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in an oven or air-fryer for 3-4 minutes. Don’t use a microwave, as it’ll make the pastry soggy and spoil the texture.
📖 Recipe
Cherry Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
- 17.3 oz Puff pastry
Cherry Compote
- 2/3 cup Cherries, pitted and halved
- 3 tbsp Sugar You can add more or less depending on how sweet or sour your cherries are
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1/2 Vanilla bean
- 1-2 tsp Lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling
- 2/3 cup Cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tbsp Icing sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Water
- Sugar for topping, Optional
Instructions
Cherry Compote
- Combine the cherries, water, vanilla bean, and sugar in a small saucepan.2/3 cup (150g) Cherries, 3 tbsp Sugar, 1/4 cup (60g) Water, 1/2 Vanilla bean
- Cook over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the cherries are soft and cooked through.
- Add the lemon juice and take the pan off the heat.1-2 tsp Lemon juice
- Taste and adjust for sweetness. Transfer to a small bowl and cool the sauce.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Whisk together the cream cheese, icing sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl, until smooth and creamy.2/3 cup (150g) Cream cheese, 4 tbsp Icing sugar, 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Taste and adjust for sweetness. Keep aside.
Assembly
- Preheat your oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle, roughly about 10" x 14".17.3 oz ( 500g) Puff pastry
- Cut the pastry into 8 equal-sized rectangles.
- Turn over about 1/2" of 4 corners of each pastry. Press it down slightly. You may need to use water to make the pastry stick.
- Add 1.5 -2 tbsp of cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry. Don't spread it out.
- Now spoon the cherry sauce, about 1 tsp, on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Whisk together the egg and water. Carefully brush the exposed pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle some sugar if you like.1 Egg, 2 tbsp Water
- Press down the edges of each pastry with a fork.
- Bake at 180 C for 20-25 minutes, until the cherry juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown.
- You can also add another 1/2 - 1 tsp of the cherry compote to the pastry, 5 minutes before you take it out. This is an optional step.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use frozen cherries instead of fresh ones for the cherry compote. You may need to simmer them a bit longer to reduce the extra liquid.
- You can easily make these cherry tarts ahead of time. Make the cherry compote and cream cheese filling a day before, assemble the tarts the next day, and bake.
- If you don't want to use egg wash, swap it with milk or cream.
- Allow the quick puff pastry tarts to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Mark says
Thank you! Your recipe is delicious!!!!
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you very much for appreciating. 🙏🏻
Shruti says
Hi Natasha,
Where can I get good puff pastry in Gurgaon.
Thanks
Shruti
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Shruti, Modern Bazar sells good puff pastry, that's what I use. 🙂