Sweet Cheese Pastries from a NY Bakery

The most amazing sweet, flaky pastries!

Watch the Video:

The first time I had these sweet cheese pastries was at a NY Bakery known as Aphrodite’s Bakery. It’s in Whitestone, and if you’re ever in NY, you have to go check them out. They have cannolis, rainbow cookies, almond amygdalota cookies, and everything they make is really good. Tell them I sent you!

Easy pie crust dough

Obviously, my favorite thing in their case was a sweet cheese pastry. I’m not in NY that often, so I thought I’d recipe test to see if I could figure out how to make them at home. These come so close! They probably use a pie crust type of dough, but homemade pie crust is too fussy for me. It requires a lot of steps, ice water, careful kneading, etc. So, I use my super simple cream cheese pastry recipe for things like this. It always bakes into a light, flaky crust that’s so delicious. You’re going to love it as much as I do!

Why you’ll love it

Perfectly golden flaky crust

Sweet cinnamon sugar crunch

Smooth, creamy vanilla cheese

The most amazing sweet cream cheese pastry you can easily make right at home!

Here’s what you need

The Pastry Dough:

• Unsalted butter -softened to room temperature
• Cream cheese -softened to room temperature
• All-purpose flour
• Salt

**Baker’s tip!** Make a double batch of dough and store one in the freezer tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. You can use the dough for so many desserts!

The Filling:

• Cream cheese -softened to room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract -good quality for the best flavor
• Egg yolk

Toppings

• Butter -melted
• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon -optional

How to make Sweet Cheese Pastries from a NY Bakery

Form the dough

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt together until smooth. 
2. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the mixture comes together and a dough is formed. 
3. Set aside to rest while you make the filling.

Whisk the filling

4. Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

And the topping

5. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

Assemble the Pastries

6. Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
7. Line 2 half-sheet baking trays with parchment paper.
8. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out very thin. About 1/8-inch thick.
9. Using a 3-inch (8cm) round cutter, cut out rounds. 
10. Gather the scraps and squeeze them together. 
11. Roll out again and keep cutting out thin rounds until the dough has finished.
12. Place half a teaspoon of the filling on one side of the round. 
13. Fold it over, and press the edges together using a fork to seal and create a decorative border.
14. Place the pastries on the prepared pans. 
15. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with a generous amount of the sugar mixture.
16. Bake the pastries on the center rack of the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Make-ahead Freezer Instructions

You’ll love having these available any time you need them. Just assemble the pastries, and place them on the baking trays. Brush them with butter and sprinkle them with sugar. Chill them in the freezer until solid, about an hour, then transfer the pastries into freezer-safe bags/containers. The pastries can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw on a baking tray and bake as per the instructions.

Serving 

Be sure to allow these pastries to cool completely, so the filling sets. This will help prevent it from oozing out when you bite into the pastry. These go so well with Greek coffee, and I show you how to make that here. This is another one of those desserts that I have trouble staying away from. They’re just the perfect combination of deliciousness. Let me know if you have the same problem. Kali Orexi!

Continue to Content

Sweet Cheese Pastries from a NY Bakery

Yield: about 30 pastries

Print

Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough:

• 1/2 pound (230g) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 ounces (170g) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

• 8 ounces (230g) cream cheese, softened
• 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk

The Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.

Line 2 (half-sheet) baking trays with parchment paper.

Make the dough: beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt together until smooth. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the mixture comes together and a dough is formed. Set aside to rest while you make the filling.

Make the filling: Combine all of the filling ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Make the topping: Combine the sugar with the cinnamon in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Assemble the Pastries:

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out very thin. About 1/8-inch thick.

Using a 3-inch (8cm) round cutter, cut out rounds. Gather the scraps and squeeze them together. Roll out again and keep cutting out thin rounds until the dough has finished.

Place a half teaspoon of the filling on one side of the round. Fold it over and using a fork, press the edges together to seal and create a decorative border.

Place the pastries on the prepared pans. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with a generous amount of the sugar mixture.

Bake the pastries on the center rack of the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Serve with Greek coffee. Kali Orexi!

Notes

Freezer Instructions: Assemble the pastries and place them on the baking trays. Brush with butter and sprinkle with the sugar. Chill them in the freezer until solid. Transfer the pastries into freezer-safe bags/containers. The pastries can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw and bake as per the instructions.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Godinger Dublin Cake Plate Cake Stand,12 inches
• 
  Staub Cast Iron 7-qt Round Cocotte - White Truffle, Made in France
• 
  Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Silver
• 
  TEAKHAUS Wood Cutting Board Block I Chopping Board I Wooden Cutting Boards for Kitchen I Large Cutting Board with Handle I Chopping Boards for Kitchen I Thick Cutting Board 107 24x18x1.5
• 
  KitchenAid KSM3311XAQ Artisan Mini Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, 3.5 quart, Aqua Sky Blue