Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries star flaky puff pastry topped with lemony cream cheese, raspberry jam and fresh berries. These easy but impressive pastries are bursting with fresh raspberry flavor and are perfect for brunch or as a sweet treat!
Table of Contents
- Flaky Puff Pastry Meets Creamy, Fruity Perfection
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries
- Tips for Perfect Raspberry Pastries
- Serving Ideas: From Brunch to Dessert
- Storage and Reheating
- More Recipes Made with Frozen Puff Pastry
- Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries Recipe
Flaky Puff Pastry Meets Creamy, Fruity Perfection
In the latest installment of How Low Can Your Self-Control Go, I faced off against Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries. Long story short, I embraced my professional taste-tester duties and sampled one fresh from the oven. And then I slowly and begrudgingly stepped away from the breakfast pastries.
An hour later, I’d eaten a mango fruit roll-up, a handful of pretzels, seven almonds, four chocolate-covered raisins and a string cheese. Everything. I literally ate everything except what I was really craving … a second pastry.
When tangy, vanilla-flavored cream cheese, juicy raspberries and puff pastry join forces, my self-control goes out the window. Breakfast, snack or dessert, these quick-fix pastries are worthy of a second serving (and then some). Thirty minutes start to finish? Sweet success indeed.
- Cream cheese: Soften to room temperature before you start. You want it to be really soft so you don’t get any lumps in the mixture. Pro tip: Forgot to take it out? Cut it into small cubes and let it sit for about 20-30 minutes to speed up the process.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cream cheese filling just enough for perfect, not-too-sweet pinwheels.
- Lemon juice & zest: A splash of fresh lemon juice and a little zest brightens up the filling and gives it a subtle citrusy zing that pairs perfectly with the raspberries. Be sure to zest your lemon before you juice it.
- Vanilla extract: If you have homemade vanilla extract, this is the perfect recipe to use it in!
- Puff pastry: Grab a 17.3-ounce package of frozen puff pastry (two sheets). Thaw it according to package instructions, and try to keep it cool while working with it—this helps maintain those flaky layers.
- Raspberry jam: The jam adds a sweet, fruity layer that pairs perfectly with the tangy cream cheese. Use your favorite store-bought or homemade jam.
- Fresh raspberries: Fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) raspberries will work. Just make sure to pat them dry if they’re frozen—too much moisture can lead to a runny filling, and nobody wants that!
- Egg + 1 tablespoon water: This creates an egg wash that gets brushed on the fruit-filled pastries before baking for a golden and glossy finish.
- Sanding sugar: For an extra touch of sparkle and crunch, sprinkle some sanding sugar on top.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Make the cream cheese filling. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut into squares. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each sheet of thawed puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut each square into four smaller squares, so you have a total of eight. Transfer the squares to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpats.
- Fill the pastries. Add a dollop of the cream cheese mixture to the center of each square. Next, spoon a dollop of raspberry jam on top of the cream cheese, followed by a few fresh raspberries.
- Now it’s time to shape the pinwheels! Grab a sharp knife and make four diagonal cuts from the center of each square toward the corners, being careful not to cut underneath the cream cheese. Fold one corner of each section into the center, gently pressing it on top of the raspberries. Continue this process with each square. It looks like this:
- Brush with egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush each puff pastry all over with the egg wash, making sure to cover all the exposed pastry. And now’s the time to sprinkle a bit of sanding sugar over the top of each.
- Bake in a 400ºF oven until golden brown and puffed around the edges. Keep an eye on them—they’ll bake up quickly in just 15-18 minutes!
Let the pastries cool slightly before serving. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature—they’re delicious either way!
For an extra layer of flavor, try drizzling the pastries with a simple 3-ingredient lemon glaze from my blueberry Danish recipe once they’ve cooled. The zesty sweetness pairs perfectly with the tart raspberries and creamy filling!
- Work quickly with the puff pastry to keep it cool. If the pastry gets too warm, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Pat the raspberries dry to avoid excess moisture, which can lead to soggy pastries.
- Experiment with different jams and fruit combinations! Try strawberry, blueberry or apricot jam for a fun twist.
Serving Ideas: From Brunch to Dessert
These fruit-filled pastries are the ultimate multitaskers—perfect for a weekend brunch spread, a quick weekday breakfast with coffee or a last-minute dessert when guests pop by (I always keep a box of frozen puff pastry in the freezer!). I love serving them slightly warm alongside other brunch favorites like my popular fruit salad with honey-lime dressing, hash brown crust quiche and sheet pan pancakes. If I’m offering them as dessert, a light dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of homemade whipped cream is all they need.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. They’ll still taste great (I’ve eaten them many times 48 hours after making them!).
To reheat, pop them in a 250°F oven for 5-7 minutes. This will restore that just-baked warmth and flakiness, making them taste like they’ve just come out of the oven. Avoid microwaving them, as it can make the pastry soggy.
Find more inspiration for easy puff pastry-inspired treats with these additional top-rated recipes:
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
- 1 large egg
- Sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla to the bowl and beat until combined. Set aside.
- Roll out each sheet of thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface until it is a 10-inch square. Cut each square into four smaller squares then transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets so that they aren’t touching one another.
- Using a fork, prick the pastries all over then place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture (about 1 ½ tablespoons) into the center of each square, spreading it slightly into a small circle. Place a dollop of raspberry jam atop the cream cheese, and then place 3 to 4 raspberries on top of the jam.
- Using a sharp knife, make four cuts from the center toward the edge of each square. (Do not cut underneath where the cream cheese is.) Fold one corner from each piece you’ve cut into the center, pressing it lightly atop the raspberries. Repeat the cutting and folding process with the remaining pastries.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush each pinwheel all over with the egg wash. Sprinkle the exposed pastry with the sanding sugar (optional).
- Bake the pastries for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed around the edges.
Kelly’s Notes
- Store leftover pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 250°F oven for 5–7 minutes to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven flakiness.
- Swap the raspberry jam for your favorite variety! Strawberry, blueberry and even apricot are all delicious.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
LOVE THESE!!!
their so PRETTY!!!
Thanks so much!
LOVE THESE!!!
Will definitely make them again.
so simple to make but so delicious
So glad you enjoyed it!
Turned out so yummy!! I added a little extra lemon juice to the cream cheese filling and then topped with fresh huckleberries and made a powdered sugar drizzle for the top. They were gone before fully cooled
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle!
Delicious, will definitely be baking again
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Carole!
They look delicious.Will taste tomorrow
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Diana!
Just made these and love them! Used spreadable cream cheese as that’s all I had, and just did a half recipe…you never know, right?
Full recipe next time!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Doreen!
Made these today for Father’s Day. Pretty easy with minimal ingredients. They came out perfectly. Everyone raved about them. My only comment about the recipe is you don’t need the full 8 oz. of cream cheese. You can get by with 4 oz.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Joan!
Easy and yummy! I used premade pastry dough and it made the process effortless!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kyleen!