Strawberry Cheesecake Croissant Cups
shared by Nibblore Kitchen
Flaky, golden croissant cups cradle tangy vanilla cheesecake and glossy, jammy strawberries. Refrigerated dough keeps the recipe approachable, while briefly cooking the berries prevents watery filling and concentrates their flavor. Serve the cups slightly warm for brunch or chilled as an easy handheld dessert. • Keep the croissant dough refrigerated until the filling is ready; cold dough is easier to shape and bakes into flakier layers. • Use brick-style cream cheese rather than whipped or tub-style spread, which can make the centers too loose. • Do not overfill the cups, as the cheesecake expands slightly and can spill over the dough. • Use an equal amount of diced raspberries or blueberries in place of the strawberries. • Replace the homemade strawberry topping with 1/2 cup thick strawberry preserves; use about 2 teaspoons per cup. • For a brighter citrus flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate cooled cups in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze without the powdered sugar for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Serve chilled, or reheat on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 6 to 8 minutes; avoid microwaving if you want the pastry to remain crisp.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Beginner-friendly
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Save recipeIngredients
- 1 ½ cupfresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced
- 3 tbspgranulated sugar, divided
- 1 tsplemon juice
- 1 tspcornstarch
- 2 tspcold water
- 8 ozbrick-style full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 largeegg yolk
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchfine salt
- 1 8-ounce tuberefrigerated crescent-roll croissant dough with 8 triangles
- 1 tspunsalted butter, softened, for the pan
- 1 tbsppowdered sugar, for finishing
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat 8 wells of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with the softened butter.
- 2Combine the strawberries, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the berries release their juice and soften but retain some pieces.
- 3Stir the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth. Add the slurry to the berries and cook, stirring, for 30 to 60 seconds, until the juices become thick and glossy. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
- 4Beat the softened cream cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and salt just until evenly combined; do not overbeat.
- 5Unroll the chilled croissant dough and separate it into 8 triangles. Place one triangle in each prepared muffin well, pressing the wide portion across the bottom and up the sides. Fold or overlap the pointed end around the rim, leaving a deep cup in the center and sealing any gaps with your fingers.
- 6Divide the cheesecake mixture among the dough cups, using about 2 tablespoons per cup. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cooled strawberry mixture over each center; reserve any excess berries for serving. Keep the filling below the rim of the dough.
- 7Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes, until the exposed dough is deeply golden and the cheesecake centers are set at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle.
- 8Cool the cups in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around each edge, then lift the cups onto a wire rack. Cool for another 10 minutes for a warm serving, or refrigerate until chilled. Dust with powdered sugar and top with the reserved strawberry mixture just before serving.