You’ll love this simple recipe for Apricot and Cream Cheese Puff Pastries. Flaky butter puff pastry topped with a cheesecake-style cream cheese filling and sweet fresh apricot makes a delightful treat for breakfast, brunch or dessert. These pastries are quick to prepare and look like they’ve come from a quality bakery.
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Why you’ll love this recipe:
This easy Apricot and Cream Cheese Pastry recipe delivers buttery, flaky pastries with minimal fuss. It’s approachable for beginners yet satisfying for confident home bakers. With a few pantry staples you can create a bakery-style pastry in under an hour.
You will love these Apricot Puff Pastries because:
- The pastries are quick and easy to make — ready in about 40 minutes.
- They use store-bought frozen butter puff pastry to save time while still giving excellent results.
- Versatile: serve them for breakfast with coffee, at a relaxed brunch, or as a dessert with ice cream.
- Sweet apricots with a hint of tartness pair beautifully with the cheesecake-like cream cheese topping.
- A family favourite — simple enough for kids and adults alike.
- They’re a great alternative to time-consuming Danish pastry while delivering a similar flaky texture.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities and the full method.
Puff pastry — use a good-quality frozen butter puff pastry for best flakiness and convenience. Homemade pastry can be used if preferred.
Cream cheese — full-fat cream cheese at room temperature gives the best texture and flavour.
Vanilla extract — use real vanilla extract for best aroma and taste.
Icing (powdered) sugar — adds sweetness and smoothness to the cream cheese filling. If you don’t have any, blitz granulated sugar in a blender or spice grinder until fine.
Fresh apricots — choose ripe but firm fruit so the halves keep their shape during baking. Canned apricots can be used when fresh are out of season — drain well.
Egg — a lightly beaten egg for glazing the pastry edges.
Demerara sugar — adds a crunchy, caramel-like finish when sprinkled on the pastry edge.
Apricot jam — warmed and brushed over the fruit after baking to add shine and a touch more sweetness.
How To Make Apricot and Cream Cheese Pastries:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities and the full method.
1 – Make the cream cheese topping: Combine cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
2 – Cut the puff pastry: Thaw the pastry as instructed on the package, keeping it chilled. Cut each sheet into four squares so you have eight squares total and place them on prepared baking trays. Shaping instructions are in the recipe card.
3 – Add the cream cheese: Divide the cream cheese mixture among the pastry squares and spread it within the pastry frame.
4 – Add the apricot and sugar: Place an apricot half on top of each portion of cream cheese. Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar for a crunchy finish. Bake until the pastry is golden and puffed.
After baking, brush the apricot halves with warmed apricot jam for a glossy finish. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for success and FAQs:
Keep the pastry cold while you work. If it softens, return it to the fridge to firm up — warm pastry is hard to handle and won’t give the best rise.
Work on the baking tray when assembling the pastries to avoid transferring them later. That saves time and prevents accidental damage.
Thaw frozen pastry overnight in the refrigerator for best results. If using pre-cut sheets, you can thaw briefly at room temperature but keep unused sheets chilled.
They’re best enjoyed warm, but you can store cooled pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat at 180°C (355°F) for about 7 minutes until crisp.
Yes. Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat as above.
Absolutely. Squares are simple, but you can also cut circles or other shapes to suit your preference.
Yes — drain them well and pat dry before using so they don’t make the pastry soggy.
Variations and substitutions:
Fresh apricots can be replaced with sliced peaches or nectarines.
Nuts — a sprinkle of flaked almonds or slivered pistachios adds texture and flavour.
Serving suggestions:
These pastries are very versatile. Try them:
- With morning or afternoon tea — perfect alongside coffee.
- On a buffet platter when entertaining — they disappear fast.
- As a simple, quick breakfast when time is limited.
- Slightly warm for dessert, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Packed for picnics, potlucks or lunchboxes.
You’ll find these Apricot and Cream Cheese Puff Pastries are a hit at home. If you make them, leave a comment below to share how they turned out.
Alex xx
More delicious recipes for you to try:
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Raspberry Tartlets
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Easy Mini Plum Tarts
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Blueberry Tartlets
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Strawberry Tartlets
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Apricot and Cream Cheese Puff Pastries
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Please note:
For accuracy, weigh ingredients when weights are given. Oven temperatures are for fan-forced ovens.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets butter puff pastry
- 120 g cream cheese – at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon icing/powdered sugar
- 4 large apricots – cut in half
- 1 egg – lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoon demerara sugar
- 2 tablespoon apricot jam
Instructions
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Line two baking trays with baking paper. Remove the pastry from the freezer and defrost while keeping it cool. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
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In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth.
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Cut each pastry sheet into four to make eight 12 cm (4¾ inch) squares. Place the squares on the prepared trays — it’s easier to assemble them on the trays than to move them after filling.
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For the shaped frame, fold each square loosely in half diagonally to form a triangle (don’t press flat). Make two parallel cuts along the outside edge of the triangle, about 1¼ cm (½ inch) wide, stopping before you reach the tip.
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Open the triangle and gently lift each cut strip over and across to form a frame around the centre. The strips will cross over the cream cheese filling and create a decorative border.
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Divide the cream cheese mixture among the pastry frames and spread evenly. Place an apricot half on top of each portion of cream cheese.
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Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg and sprinkle each with about a teaspoon of demerara sugar.
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Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
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Warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and, if needed, thin with a teaspoon of water. Strain if there are large pieces, then brush the jam over the baked apricot halves for a glossy finish.
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Allow pastries to cool for a few minutes before serving. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat at 180°C (355°F) for about 7 minutes to crisp.
Notes
- Puff pastry: Use two sheets measuring about 24 cm (9½ inches) square. Keep the pastry chilled while working; if it softens, chill it again before continuing.
- Tablespoon: The recipe uses a standard 20 ml tablespoon.
- Apricots: Tinned apricots work when fresh aren’t available — drain and pat dry.
- Demerara sugar: Adds a crunchy, caramelised finish to the pastry edges.
- Jam: Warm and strain apricot jam if necessary to glaze the fruit smoothly.
- Storage: Store cooled pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Re-heating: Reheat at 180°C (355°F) for about 7 minutes or until crisp.
- Freezing: Cool completely, pack in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat as above.
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Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands you use.