Sweet Cheese Brioche Pastry Recipe

This sweet brioche pastry is why “just one” never happens. Buttery, soft, lightly sweet, creamy and slightly tangy — it sits exactly between pastry and dessert, making it a perfect brunch, breakfast, or afternoon treat.

A few flavors instantly conjure childhood memories, and these cheese pastries — a staple of Israeli bakeries and family breakfasts — do just that. The filling resembles a no-bake, light cheesecake, but because it’s baked the texture is creamier and the flavor more concentrated.

Before you begin: you can make these with my classic brioche dough for a rich, tender result, but that requires planning and an overnight rise. For a quicker option, use thawed puff pastry for a flakier, crumblier finish. If you want something in between, a babka-style enriched dough produces a lighter, airier crumb. The filling and shaping method are the same for all three dough options.

Below I recap the main ingredients and practical substitutions so you can choose the approach that suits your schedule.

Key Ingredients

The full recipe card follows later. Here are the main components and suggested swaps.

Cream cheese. This provides the signature cheesy flavor and fat that produces a silky filling. If you prefer a slightly grainier but lighter texture, ricotta can be substituted in equal measure for a different profile.
Whole Greek yogurt. Traditional Israeli recipes use a soft white cheese similar in taste and texture to full-fat Greek yogurt. You can use sour cream, but it will affect the flavor — still tasty, but less distinctly “cheesy.”
Vanilla instant pudding powder. This is a common shortcut in many Israeli desserts and brings concentrated vanilla sweetness and texture to the filling.
Powdered sugar & egg yolks. Powdered sugar sweetens and helps stabilize the texture; egg yolks thicken and set the filling without making it custardy or overly eggy. Using yolks only keeps the filling creamy but stable during baking.

Make It

Below are step-by-step tips, photos for visual cues, and practical tips learned during testing to ensure consistent results.

Step One: Make the Filling

You can prepare the filling up to 24 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
Bring the cream cheese and yogurt to room temperature before mixing; cold ingredients can create lumps.
I mix the filling in stages so it becomes smooth without needing a stand mixer — a whisk works fine if you fold and blend gradually.

A large bowl with cream mixture and a whisk. — Mix the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.

A large bowl with cream mixture and powdered sugar and a whisk. — Mix the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.

Step Two: Shaping & Baking

Shape the pastries while the dough is cold. Cold dough behaves; warm dough can be sticky and lose its shape. Brioche benefits from a long refrigerated rise, so roll it straight from the fridge.
If using babka dough, allow the first rise, divide the dough, wrap pieces in plastic, and chill 30–60 minutes to make rolling and shaping easier and keep the butter in place.
For puff pastry, thaw but keep it cold. Soft, warm puff pastry is difficult to handle.
Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick for brioche or babka dough, or 1/8 inch for puff pastry. Trim edges, then cut into squares. For traditional pastries, cut 4×4 inch squares; for bite-size treats, 2×2 inches works well.
Place squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet before filling. Filled pastries are fragile — it’s much easier to assemble on the baking sheet.
Place about 1.5 tablespoons of filling near the center of each square, leaving space from the corners. Fold opposite corners over the filling but don’t seal them tightly — leave a little room so the filling can spread without tearing the dough.
Brush the dough with an egg yolk wash for a deep golden finish.
Bake until the dough is golden and the filling is puffed and pale yellow. Avoid overbaking, which can curdle the filling. The filling will settle as it cools — this is normal.

Dough rectangle cut into 8 squares, topped with cheese cream.

Yields and Storage

This recipe yields sixteen 4×4-inch pastries or about twenty-eight 2×2-inch bite-size pastries.

Serve the pastries the same day for the best texture. They can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to two days. Reheat in a 200°F (95°C) preheated oven for 10 minutes to refresh the texture — avoid prolonged baking to protect the filling.

To freeze, wrap each pastry in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to four weeks. Thaw at room temperature and warm if desired.

Cheese Pastry | Using Brioche or Puff Pastry

Soft, buttery brioche or flaky puff pastry wrapped around a lightly sweetened cheese filling. Perfect with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

For the Dough

1/2 recipe brioche dough (divided), or thawed puff pastry

For the Filling

1 cup (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (240 g) whole Greek yogurt, room temperature
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
1/4 cup (40 g) vanilla instant pudding powder
4 large egg yolks, room temperature (for the filling)
1 large egg yolk (for egg wash)

Instructions

Make the Dough

Prepare brioche, babka, or puff pastry dough in advance. If using enriched dough, chill it for about 60 minutes before shaping.

Make the Filling

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla pudding powder and mix until combined.
Whisk in the four egg yolks until fully incorporated. Refrigerate the filling while you roll the dough, or up to 24 hours.

Shape the Pastries

Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll to an 18×10-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick for brioche or babka; 1/8 inch for puff pastry).
Trim edges, then cut into eight 4×4-inch squares (or smaller pieces for bite-size pastries).
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and place the squares on the tray.
Transfer the chilled filling to a pastry bag or use a spoon to place roughly 1.5 tablespoons of filling on each square, positioned away from the diagonal corners.
Fold opposite corners over the filling, leaving a little space so the filling can expand without tearing the dough.
Brush the exposed dough with the reserved egg yolk and let the assembled pastries rest about 45 minutes at cool room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) about 25 minutes before baking.
Bake on the middle rack for 18–20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The pastries are done when the dough is golden brown and the filling is puffed but not browned. Let cool about 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Store at room temperature for up to two days, covered.
Freeze wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer bag for up to four weeks. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
To refresh frozen or day-old pastries, warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven for 10 minutes.

When using babka dough: after the first rise, divide the dough, wrap pieces in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes — this makes shaping much easier.

When using puff pastry: ensure it is thawed but still cold. Roll to 1/8-inch thickness if needed. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–24 minutes; if the pastry is not evenly browned, lower the oven to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking 5–10 minutes until done.

Author: Dikla Levy Frances

Makes: 16 pastries