Strawberry Puff Pastry Braid

I’ve made hundreds of cheesecake and pastry recipes while writing for my blog, my cookbook, and working at a bakery, and one thing I’ve learned is that puff pastry can make any dessert look and taste bakery-worthy with very little effort. This Strawberry Puff Pastry is a perfect example: buttery, flaky pastry braided around a sweet cream cheese filling and fresh strawberries, finished with a drizzle of glaze. It’s a recipe that looks impressive enough for a party but is simple enough to make on a weeknight.

If you’re new to making puff pastry, definitely check out A Guide to Puff Pastry!

The Best Strawberry Puff Pastry Recipe

What makes this the best Strawberry Puff Pastry? It comes down to three things: the creamy, tangy cream cheese filling that balances the sweet strawberries, the braiding technique that makes the pastry look elegant, and the finishing touches of coarse sugar for crunch and a sweet glaze on top. This is a recipe you’ll come back to again and again, whether you’re baking for a holiday brunch, summer gathering, or just to enjoy with your morning coffee.

Full ingredients and step by step instructions can be found at the bottom of this post!

Puff Pastry

For this recipe, you’ll need two sheets of store-bought puff pastry or my homemade puff pastry dough. Thaw the pastry before using—either at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes or by wrapping each sheet in paper towels and microwaving briefly until softened enough to unfold. Place the sheets on parchment paper or a silicone mat so they’re easy to transfer later. Preheat your oven to 375ºF; baking at this slightly lower temperature ensures the center of the pastry cooks through without leaving any raw dough inside.

If making puff pastry from scratch, click the recipe here!

Cream Cheese Filling

To make the cream cheese filling, place the softened cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, to beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, then beat again until everything is fully combined and creamy. Set the bowl aside—this filling will be spread down the center of the puff pastry before you layer the strawberries on top.

Assembling the Strawberry Puff Pastry Braid

Once your pastry sheet is ready, roll it out gently on a lightly floured surface—just a few rolls to smooth it out, without thinning it too much. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture down the center, leaving about an inch at the top and bottom. Arrange sliced strawberries over the cream cheese.

To braid the pastry, make small slits at the top and bottom, fold the ends over the filling, and then cut diagonal strips along each side. Begin crossing the strips over one another in a crisscross pattern until you reach the bottom, trimming any extra dough to keep the braid neat. Transfer the braided pastry to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the top using a pastry brush and egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar for crunch.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before glazing.

Glaze

Make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and pourable. Adjust the thickness by adding more milk if necessary. Drizzle over the cooled pastry with a spoon or piping bag for a pretty finish. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can also sprinkle raw sugar on top for a varied look.

Storage

This Strawberry Puff Pastry is best the day it’s baked, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. To reheat, warm in a toaster oven or in a 350ºF oven for 5–10 minutes until crisp and warmed through.

Tips & Tricks for Strawberry Puff Pastry Braid

Again, check out my Puff Pastry Guide, or Puff Pastry Mistakes and How to Avoid Them for even more tips!

• Use cold puff pastry for easier handling. If the dough softens too much, chill it in the refrigerator before braiding.
• Don’t skimp on the coarse sugar—it adds both texture and flavor.
• Bake long enough for the center to cook through; underbaked pastry will collapse as it cools.
• For a lemon twist, add lemon zest to the filling and swap milk for lemon juice in the glaze.

Variations

You can swap the strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or cherries, or really any type of jam! A combination of berries makes a beautiful summer braid. For a citrusy twist, try glazing with lemon juice and zest. Or go even richer by spreading a thin layer of Nutella under the cream cheese filling before adding the fruit.

FAQ

Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, but thaw and drain them first to remove excess liquid.

Do I need to blind-bake the pastry?
No—this recipe bakes all at once with the filling inside.

Can I make this ahead of time?
You can assemble the braid a few hours ahead, refrigerate, and bake just before serving.

What if I don’t have coarse sugar?
Granulated sugar works, but coarse sugar gives the best crunch and sparkle.

Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven until crisp.

If you love these Cream Cheese Puff Pastries, you’ll definitely want to try a few more of my favorite puff pastry desserts. For something fruity and fresh, my Blueberry Puff Pastry and Cherry Turnovers are always a hit. If you’re craving something rich and indulgent, the Boston Cream Puff Pastry or Pecan Pie Pastry are perfect for special occasions. And if you want a light but elegant option, the Key Lime Pie Puff Pastry makes a show-stopping treat with minimal effort. Each recipe uses simple store-bought puff pastry but you can always use homemade!

Strawberry Puff Pastry Braid

Camila Hurst

This Strawberry Puff Pastry Braid is a bakery-style dessert made with flaky puff pastry, a creamy cheesecake filling, and sweet strawberries braided inside. Finished with a drizzle of glaze, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious—and surprisingly easy to make at home.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 2 sheets store-bought puff pastry or homemade puff pastry dough

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 oz. cream cheese softened 226 grams
• ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
• 1 large yolk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Assembly

• 2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup coarse sugar

Glaze

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tbsp of milk

Instructions

 

• Thaw the puff pastry sheet. You can let it sit at room temperature for 30 min to 1 hour until softened. Or wrap each sheet in paper towels and microwave for 15 seconds on each side. It’s ready to be used when you can easily unfold it. Or follow the instructions for homemade puff pastry dough.
• Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.

Cream Cheese Filling

• In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the cream cheese with the sugar for 2 minutes on medium speed. You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
• Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat again until combined.

Assembly

• Unfold the pastry sheet or take your puff pastry dough out of the fridge.
• Use a rolling pin to flatten the sheet out gently. Don’t roll it too much, just a couple of rolls on each side.
• Place the sheet on top of a piece of parchment paper, or on top of a silicone mat that you will be using to bake your pastry.
• Fill the center of the pastry sheet with half of the cream cheese mixture, leaving about 1 inch on top and 1 inch on the bottom of the pastry without filling.
• Lay out half of the strawberries on top of the filling (about 1 cup of strawberries per pastry).
• Cut two slits on the bottom, and two slits on the top of the pastry following the vertical lines that cut through the center, from where the filling ends.
• Fold the top over the filling.
• Now cut a slit from the filling to the corner top of the pastry on each side. This will form a triangle on the corners of the pastry sheet. Remove the triangles and set aside.
• Cut 11 to 12 slits on the diagonal, about 0.5 inches thick on each side of the pastry, following the direction of the first diagonal slit you cut.
• You will end up with a trapezoid shape on each side of the bottom of the pastry. Remove them and set aside.
• Now start folding from the top, braiding the pastry.
• Fold one side, and fold the side right across from it over.
• Repeat this overlapping pattern until you reach the bottom.
• On the bottom you can fold the strips of dough across, and tuck the rectangle that’s on the bottom of the filling under the last dough strips. If necessary, trim with scissors so there isn’t too much dough bunched up at the end.
• Make sure the ends are all tucked in.
• Transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
• Whisk the egg and brush the pastry with the egg wash. Top with the coarse sugar.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown and puffed.
• If you under bake, the center of the pastry will be raw, which is why I recommend baking this pastry at 375 and not 400 Fahrenheit, and baking for longer this way the center has a chance to cook.
• Let the pastry cool down for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Glaze

• Simply mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk, until a thick glaze has formed, then drizzle it over the pastry using a spoon, or a pastry bag with a tip at the end cut off.

Storage

• You can store the pastry in the fridge for up to 2 days. To re-heat, place in a toaster oven for a few minutes, or in the 350ºF oven for 5 to 10 minutes until warm on the inside.

Notes

Puff pastry: you can use store-bought or make your own. I like to use Pepperidge farm if using store-bought, you can find it in the frozen food aisle at the grocery store.

Homemade Puff Pastry: Try this recipe!

Strawberries: both fresh or frozen strawberries will work.

Egg: for the egg wash, to be brushed on top of the pastry. You can add a bit of milk to the egg wash, or just brush the pastry with milk instead of egg.

Coarse sugar: sprinkling coarse sugar over the pastry before baking will make the outside extra crispy. You can use sugar in the raw, coarse sugar crystals, or even organic sugar which tends to be a bit more coarse than granulated.

Berries: you can use any berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries with this recipe. You can also use cherries.

Lemon: to make this pastry lemony tasting, add lemon zest to the cream cheese filling. You can also opt for glazing the pastry with a lemon glaze, by adding lemon juice instead of milk to the glaze described above in the notes, and adding more lemon zest to it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 280kcal

Keyword strawberry puff pastry

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