Welcome summer with easy, fruit-filled pastries! These Yellow Cherry Cheesecake Turnovers are stuffed with cream cheese and cherries, and take just 30 minutes start to finish.
Hello friends! Today I’m sharing a simple, summer-ready treat: Yellow Cherry Cheesecake Turnovers. These flaky pockets combine creamy cheesecake filling with bright cherries for a fast, impressive pastry you can make with a few pantry staples. They take about 30 minutes from start to finish, and you’ll love how easy they are to assemble.
Turnovers are one of my favorite quick pastries: puff pastry, a sweet filling, and a golden bake. For this version I used yellow (Queen Ann) cherries for a slightly tart-sweet contrast, paired with a simple cream cheese mixture flavored with vanilla and a touch of lemon. You can substitute regular or fresh cherries if you prefer—fresh fruit works beautifully when in season.
These turnovers are forgiving and customizable. Use the cream cheese filling as shown, or swap in fresh fruit or another jam you love. Any leftover filling can be sweetened into a glaze or frosting to top the warm pastries. They make a great breakfast, snack, or light dessert.
Below is the recipe with clear steps and ingredients. It yields a dozen turnovers and includes a quick frosting made from leftover cream cheese filling. Enjoy making these bright, flaky pastries this season!
yellow cherry cheesecake turnovers
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar + ¼ {separated}
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract {or juice}
- pinch of salt
- 1 can Queen Ann yellow cherries {or your favorite cherries}
- 2-3 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Prepare the cheesecake filling: in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, vanilla, lemon extract (or juice), and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
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Drain the cherries and set them aside. Do not rinse.
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Lightly flour a clean surface and lay one puff pastry sheet down.
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Using a floured rolling pin, gently roll the pastry to roughly 15″ x 15″ to thin it slightly. Exact size isn’t critical.
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Cut the sheet into 6 even squares. Repeat with the second sheet so you have 12 squares total.
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Place about 1–2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture in the center of each square, leaving a border. Top each with 3–4 cherries. Reserve any extra filling for the frosting.
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Brush the edges of each square with water and fold into a triangle, pressing the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges for a secure seal.
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Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with the reserved ¼ cup granulated sugar.
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Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the turnovers are puffed and golden brown.
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While the turnovers bake, make the frosting: combine any leftover cheesecake filling with powdered sugar until it reaches a spreadable frosting consistency. Start with about 1 cup powdered sugar and add more as needed, a little at a time.
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Allow turnovers to cool to room temperature, then drizzle or spread them with the frosting and serve.
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