Mini Raspberry-Almond Cream Cheese Swirl Pastries
Delicate spiral pastries feature a rich almond-cream cheese filling swirled through flaky crescent dough, topped with raspberry jam and fresh berries. Each bite delivers sweet-tart raspberry flavor balanced by nutty almond and tangy cream cheese. Perfect for brunch gatherings, afternoon tea, or special occasion breakfast treats. The combination of store-bought crescent dough with homemade filling creates an impressive presentation with minimal effort, while the chocolate drizzle adds an elegant finishing touch.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened, cut into pieces
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg yolk
- 8 oz refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls or Crescent Dough Sheet
- ¼ cup seedless red raspberry jam
- 24 fresh raspberries
- 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 375°F and spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray
- 2
Process sugar and almonds in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds
- 3
Add cream cheese, vanilla, almond extract and egg yolk to processor and blend until smooth, about 10 seconds
- 4
Unroll dough into large rectangle and roll or press into 12x9-inch rectangle, sealing perforations if using crescent rolls
- 5
Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough rectangle
- 6
Cut rectangle lengthwise into 2 narrow rectangles
- 7
Roll up each narrow rectangle starting from cut edge
- 8
Cut each roll into 12 slices using serrated knife and place cut side up in muffin cups
- 9
Bake 11 to 13 minutes until light golden brown
- 10
Remove from oven and make indentation in center of each roll with wooden spoon handle
- 11
Spoon jam into each indentation
- 12
Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer until golden brown
- 13
Run knife around edges to loosen and remove from cups to cooling racks
- 14
Top each roll with fresh raspberry
- 15
Microwave chocolate chips and shortening on high 30 to 45 seconds until melted, stirring once
- 16
Drizzle chocolate over warm rolls
Tips
Use a serrated knife to cleanly slice the soft-filled rolls without squashing the delicate dough and filling.
Make indentations while rolls are still warm for easier shaping, but wait until they cool slightly before adding the chocolate drizzle to prevent melting.
Store leftover rolls in the refrigerator up to 3 days and reheat briefly in a 300°F oven to restore flakiness.
Good to Know
Store rolls in refrigerator up to 3 days
Can assemble and slice rolls up to 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate, then bake as directed
Serve warm or at room temperature
Common Mistakes
Press perforations firmly to avoid dough separating during rolling
Don't overfill indentations with jam to prevent overflow during final baking
Let rolls cool slightly before chocolate drizzle to prevent complete melting
Substitutions
Nut-Free Alternatives
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make these without a food processor?
Yes, finely chop almonds by hand and mix with softened cream cheese using a fork or electric mixer, though texture will be less smooth.
What if I don't have mini muffin pans?
Use regular muffin cups and cut rolls into 6 thicker slices per log, increasing bake time by 2-3 minutes.
How long will these keep fresh?
Store covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in 300°F oven to restore flakiness before serving.