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This cheese braid is a classic in my home for New Year’s Brunch. It is one of those things that tastes amazing but also dresses up the table. This would also be good in the spring as it uses fresh berries. This recipe uses a basic yeast dough to make a truly delicious pastry.
This pastry is inspired by classic European breakfast breads and Danish-style pastries, where soft dough or buttery puff pastry is shaped into a braid and filled with delicious ingredients. In this version, tangy berries balance the rich, lightly sweetened cream cheese, creating a filling that’s flavorful without being overly heavy. Every slice offers a little bit of everything: crisp edges, tender pastry, creamy center, and bursts of fruity brightness.
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Why You’ll Love This Berry Cream Cheese Braid
One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility. You can use fresh or frozen berries depending on the season. Also nearly any berry works well—strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or even a mixed berry blend. The cream cheese filling adds structure and richness, which prevents the pastry from becoming soggy while giving it a cheesecake-like flavor.
I always make this recipe for the New Year, and this past New Years Day was no exception. Plus this pastry can be made ahead and rewarmed when you are ready for it.
Another reason this braid is so beloved is its presentation. The braided design naturally showcases the colorful filling peeking through the pastry strips. It’s the kind of dessert that draws people in before they even take a bite. This makes it ideal for entertaining or special occasions when you want something that feels bakery-worthy.
Parts of the Braid
The Pastry Base
Some people use puff pastry and some use a lightly sweetened yeast dough for the berry cream cheese braid. Puff pastry offers maximum flakiness and convenience, as you can easily buy puff pastry from the store.
On the other hand, a yeast dough provides a softer, bread-like texture. Both options work beautifully, so the choice depends on your preference and how much time you want to spend in the kitchen.
For this recipe, I chose to go with the yeast dough. Since it is usually a special occasion when I make this recipe, it is more than worth the effort of making a soft and fluffy yeast dough.
The Cream Cheese Filling
The cream cheese is lightly sweetened and often flavored with vanilla or a hint of lemon zest. For this recipe, I added vanilla. The filling acts as a creamy foundation for the berries, adding tang and richness that complements the fruit rather than overpowering it. I love cream cheese and any pastry that uses it usually becomes one of my favorites.
The Berry Layer
The berry filling can be as simple as naturally sweet fresh berries or a quick stovetop compote thickened with cornstarch. Cooking the berries briefly helps concentrate their flavor and prevents excess juices from leaking into the pastry during baking. The compote method is best if you are using puff pastry as it won’t absorb the excess juice.
I chose to use fresh berries as the juice they produce actually added moisture and more flavor to the yeast dough.
Tips for the Perfect Braid
- Chill the pastry: If using puff pastry, keeping your pastry cold helps it hold its shape and bake up flaky.
- Don’t overfill: A modest amount of filling ensures clean braids and even baking.
- Seal gently: Press the ends lightly to keep the filling tucked inside without flattening the braid.
- Egg wash for shine: A simple egg wash gives the pastry a glossy, golden finish that makes it look bakery-fresh.
Flavor Variations
- Lemon Berry Braid: Add extra lemon zest to the filling
- Strawberry Cheesecake Braid: Use only strawberries and add a tablespoon of sour cream to the cream cheese.
- Mixed Berry Almond: Sprinkle sliced almonds on top before baking
- Chocolate Berry Braid: Add mini chocolate chips to the cream cheese filling
Serving and Storage Ideas
I usually serve the cheese braid charcuterie-style sliced and surrounded by fresh berries.
It is best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee or tea and works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.
For an extra touch, drizzle the cooled braid with a simple vanilla glaze or dust it lightly with powdered sugar.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat slices briefly in the oven to restore some of the pastry’s crispness, or enjoy them chilled for a more cheesecake-like experience.
How to Shape Braid
1.Roll out dough to a 1/4 of an inch rectangle. (It is best to form braid on pan it will be baked on.)
2. At the bottom of dough, cut small triangles. At the top, cut the edges of the left and right off at a 45° angle.
3. Spread the cream cheese filling down middle of the dough. Add the berries.
4. Cut 45° slits down the sides of the dough, about 1 inch apart, depending on the size of your sheet of dough.
5. Fold the flaps at the top and bottom over the filling first.
6. Working from top to bottom begin folding flaps over the other. The patter is, right flap goes down. Opposite left flap goes on top of it. Continue pattern until braid is complete. Use egg wash to adhere the flaps to each other.
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Brunch Berry Cheese Braid
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Equipment
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups flour
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast 2 14oz packets
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 package 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries.
Instructions
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
To Make Dough
- To a large microwave-safe bowl, add milk and microwave until warm. (If it is hot enough to burn your finger, it is too hot for the yeast.) Temperature should be no hotter than 110℉.
- Add yeast and sugar to warm milk. Mix to dissolve yeast and sugar. Let bloom for 2 minutes. If mixture blooms and looks foamy, proceed. Yeast is healthy and alive. If no foam appears after 2 minutes, yeast is dead, and you have to redo the previous steps with new yeast.
- To the milk mixture, add the egg, butter, flour, and salt. With a mixer or by hand, mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- If you are using a mixer, switch to your dough hook attachment and let mixer mix until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough should no longer be sticky. If you are mixing by hand: Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough until it is elastic and no longer sticky. This should take about 10-15 mins by hand.
- You can test if your dough has been kneaded enough using the window-pane test. To do test, take a small piece of dough and stretch it out thinly between your fingers. If you can see light though the dough without it breaking your dough is ready to proof. If the stretched piece of dough breaks, it needs more kneading.
- Once dough is smooth and elastic, using your bench scraper, form the dough into a ball. Oil bowl you made dough in. Add dough ball back into bowl, and roll dough ball in the oil. Cover and let rise in warm place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size. I put the dough in my oven lukewarm. (See bakers notes*)
- Once dough has doubled in size, punch dough down. Cut the dough into even halves. *NOTE* You can use a food scale to divide the dough more accurately. Dough makes 2 braids.
For Cream Cheese Filling
- To a medium bowl, combine all filling ingredients, except the berries, and beat until smooth. Set aside.
- Roll one half of the dough into 12 by 9 rectangle and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Cut the top edges off the dough and two small triangles from the bottom of the dough. Spread half the cream cheese mixture in the center of the dough, top with the berries, then cut diagonal slits 1 inch apart down both sides of the dough. Fold ends on top of mixture, then crisscross each slit over one another forming a braid design.
- Repeat previous steps for the second braid.
- Sprinkle each braid with granulated or decorative sugar. Cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place for another hour or until double in size.
- Once both braids have doubled, preheat oven to 325℉.
- Bake at 325℉ for 25mins or until golden brown.
- Let rest on pan for 10mins before serving. Serve warm and Enjoy!!
