Another iconic sweet potato recipe for Sweet Potato Fall. This Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish is the ultimate fall treat! Made with flaky puff pastry layered with homemade sweet potato butter and a velvety cream cheese filling, then topped with candied butter pecans for the perfect crunch. A fall twist to the classic cheese danish.
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If you didn’t know by now… it’s a sweet potato fall! I’m on a mission to give sweet potatoes the shine they deserve, so I’m really excited to share this recipe with you.
These Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danishes are my fall twist on the classic cheese danish, featuring my homemade Sweet Potato Butter. They are flaky, cozy and packed warm cozy flavor. I recommend preparing the sweet potato butter ahead of time and allowing it to cool completely before assembling the danishes.
Get the Sweet Potato Butter recipe here.
If you haven’t already check out my other recent posts of my tasty fall recipes.
What is Sweet Potato Butter?
Sweet Potato Butter is my iconic fall spread! Made with roasted sweet potato purée, warm spices and just the right amount of sweetness. It’s cooked low and slow until it’s thick, smooth and creamy. It’s so good, super easy to make and packed with cozy fall flavor. Spread it over warm buttermilk biscuits or this sweet potato cream cheese danish for a cozy fall breakfast. Add it to your latte or cold foam for a seasonal coffee twist. The possibilities are endless!
Why you’ll love this Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish?
- The flavor. Literally filled with fall flavor in every bite.
- Easy to make. This looks like it’s harder than it actually is, but this recipe is so easy and so worth it.
- Candied butter pecans are seriously addicting and add the perfect crunch.
- The flaky puff pastry texture
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish
Here’s what you’ll need for this super easy and delicious treat.
- Puff Pastry: for the perfect flaky texture!
- Sweet Potato Butter: Used my homemade sweet potato butter for this recipe *see notes*
- Cream cheese: room temp, for the base of our sweet cream filling.
- Granulated sugar: used this to sweeten up the cream cheese filling. Feel free to use a natural sweetener like maple instead.
- Vanilla: a must!
- Egg wash: helps create golden brown crust
For the Candied Butter Pecans
To make this Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish extra special, you have to top it with my candied butter pecans. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chopped pecans
- Unsalted butter
- Brown Sugar
- Water
- Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Salt
Puff pastry tips:
When working with puff pastry, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure it comes out perfectly flaky and puffed.
- Keep the dough cold: You want the puff pastry to be thawed and easy to work with, but still cold. This helps create those flaky, puffed layers as it bakes.
- Avoid rolling over the edges. If you need to roll out the dough, roll from the center stopping once you get close to the edges. Rolling the edges will keep the pastry from puffing up properly.
- Make sure none of the ingredients are hot when adding them to the puff pastry, thats going to prevent it from rising correctly.
- When adding egg wash, brush only on the top. Be sure not to brush the sides of the puff pastry. That can seal the layers together and prevent them from puffing properly.
Check out my favorite puff pastry brand here.
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish Serving Ideas
These danishes are delicious on their own, but even better paired with a cozy drink. Here are a few ideas:
- Your favorite hot or iced coffee
- Glass of milk
- Chai Latte
- Hot apple cider
- Butter Pecan Matcha Latte
- Delicious Butter Pecan Iced Latte Recipe
More fall recipes to enjoy
If you love this latte and fall flavors, here are more fall favorites to try next:
- Pumpkin Swirl Blondies
- Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies
- Sweet Potato Bread With Pecan Streusel and Maple Glaze
- No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- The Best Pumpkin French Toast
- Easy Homemade Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
If you try my Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish, I’d love to hear your feedback. Please be sure to leave a comment, and/or tag me on Instagram @cookwithci. I would love to see your recreations and hear your thoughts.
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 1 puff pastry sheet thawed, but still cold
- 1 egg for egg wash
Cream cheese filling
- 4 oz cream cheese room temp
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup Sweet Potato Butter *see notes*
Candied Butter Pecans
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add to a piping bag and set to the side. Have your Sweet Potato Butter prepared and ready to use.
For the candied pecans
- Heat a dry saucepan over medium heat. Add the pecan pieces and toast for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once fragrant and lightly toasted, remove the pecans from the pan and set aside.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble. Then stir in the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the pecan pieces. Stir until the pecans are evenly coated. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and clings to the pecans.
- Transfer the coated pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them into a single layer. Allow the pecans to cool completely before using.
For the danish
- Gently roll out the puff pastry making sure not to roll the edges, this will prevent the pastry from rising. Cut the pastry into 6 pieces. Using a sharp knife, gently score a smaller rectangle inside each piece, leaving a border around the edges. (Be careful not to cut all the way through the pastry). Transfer the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Spread 1–2 tablespoons of sweet potato butter inside the scored rectangle of each piece of puff pastry. Pipe the cream cheese filling in the center, over the sweet potato butter.
- Carefully brush the top edges of each danish with egg wash, making sure not to brush the sides of the dough as this will seal the pastry and prevent it from rising. Then pop in the oven for 15-17 minutes.
- Roughly chop some of the candied pecans and sprinkle them over each danish, if desired. Save the remaining pecans for snacking or to use in other fall recipes.
- Allow the danish to slightly cool before eating and enjoy!
Notes
Did you make it?
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