These Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pastry Puffs are our copycat version of McDonalds petite breakfast pastries. Made simply with Pillsbury biscuit dough and stuffed with a 3-ingredient cream cheese filling.
I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten McDonalds in the past 3 years. It’s not that I’m above fast food, it’s just that we don’t eat fast food much, and when we do, McDonalds isn’t on the top 3 on our list.
There’s times, though, when there is no other choice. When Matt and I were on a weekend getaway in May, we started out on our roadtrip full of coffee and didn’t feel like eating breakfast. I am notorious for this. Coffee staves off my hunger, for a time at least. Then mid-morning hits and I realize I am super hungry and don’t have anything in my belly but coffee. Things tend to go south pretty quickly when I’m hungry. Please tell me I’m not the only one who can get a little um…grumpy… when I need food?
So when Matt and I were about 45 minutes into our trip, I realized (or maybe he realized) that I needed some food. The closest thing was McDonalds, so I jumped at the chance for fast-food. As soon as I stepped inside, I saw an advertisement for their Petite Pastries. Biscuit dough stuffed with sweet cream cheese filling? I’m all about that and just had to try them. They were good and definitely helped my hunger-grumpiness to go away. The whole time I was eating it I kept telling Matt, “These would be so easy to make!” Being a food-blogger’s husband, he is totally used to this and encourages me in my desire to create and recreate whatever I please.
It took me a month or two, but I did recreate them. And might I say that they were better than McDonalds? Making them on my own, I got to decide what type of pastry to use and how much of that sweet cream cheese filling to stuff in my petite pastries.
I tried several different Pillsbury doughs and the Grands!®Jr. Golden Layers Butter Tastin’ Biscuits worked the best. After all, with a name like “Butter Tastin'”, you can imagine why! You’ll get 10 little Cinnnamon Cream Cheese Pastry Puffs with this recipe.
Here’s how to make these sweet things. Whip up your cream cheese filling in a small bowl. Make sure that you soften the cream cheese so it blends easily. Press each biscuit out into a rectangle form, about 4 inches by 3 inches, being careful not to break a hole in the dough. I pressed mine out right onto my Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat
Whisk an egg in a small bowl, then brush the tops of the pastries with egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar. I love this part, because it gives a crunchy sweetness to the tops of the golden brown pastries.
Bake these just 12 short minutes in a 375 oven and you have a heavenly, cinnamony, cream-cheesy little pastry. Our very own copycat version of McDonalds Petite Pastries.
I’m not proud to say that Matt and I downed this entire batch of pastries on our own. We ate a few fresh from the oven. And we ate a few the next morning straight from the fridge. I was surprised how good they were cold from the refrigerator. They reminded me of cinnamon cheesecake. This 6-ingredient, under 30 minute, semi-homemade recipe is pure deliciousness!
Yields 10
These Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pastry Puffs are our copycat version of McDonalds petite breakfast pastries. Made simply with Pillsbury biscuit dough and stuffed with a 3-ingredient cream cheese filling.
15 minPrep Time
12 minCook Time
27 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 8oz block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 12 oz tube Grands!®Jr. Golden Layers Butter Tastin' Biscuits
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix your softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and cinnamon until creamy. Set aside.
- On a non-sticking baking sheet, press each biscuit out into a rectangle form, about 4 inches by 3 inches, being careful not to break a hole in the dough. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of each biscuit. Fold the long sides in, overlapping the edges, then fold the ends under, pressing the seams just very gently to help them seal. Turn the pastries over, placing them seam-side down.
- Whisk an egg in a small bowl, then brush the tops of the pastries with egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and refrigerate.
Looks like a winner to me. I bet my hubby would down these all by himself. He loves cream cheese.
Gotta give them a try some time.
Have an awesome day!
Thanks for stopping by, Melanie!
these pastry puffs look seriously divine.. i love the cinnamon cream cheese filling. yum!
Thank you! They were sooo good!
These sound so easy – and I love the idea of a cinnamony cream cheese!
They were super easy, Jamie! Wishing I had more this morning….
These look fantastic! They look like little pillows of creamy goodness!
I thought they looked like little pillows, too, Deb!
These look absolutely wonderful! Pinned.
Thank you, Karen!
How easy and yummy! I thought for sure these would take hours when I saw the picture, but still couldn’t help myself from stopping over!! So glad I did. Thanks for sharing!
They are dangerously easy, Elizabeth! I hope you enjoy!
I wish I had one right now!
Me too, Jenna! We ate them too fast!
they look yummy!
These little pastry puffs look like we could be best friends…all my favorite qualities…sweet, filled with cream cheese, and fluffy 😉 Thanks for sharing at my Creative Ways Link Party! Hope you’ll be back to party with us again on Wednesday at 8pm central!
Blessings,
Nici
We definitely like pastry puffs, although we haven’t had the ones at McDonalds. Your recipe looks like a tasty one! I hope you can stop on by and share this or any other recipe with us on Five Friday Finds! 🙂
These little bites look fabulous!!! Perfect with a big cup of coffee 🙂
OMG is what I have to say. I used great value biscuits from Walmart. Cut each one into 4 little triangles. Flated each one after it was cut. Place 1/2 tsp on each little triangle. Brought the 2 longest points/corners together and pressed edges together. While making these I forgot how I was putting them together I started bringing all corners together and sealing them by pressing edges together. I keep doing both styles. Some looked like wontons and pot stickers. Shape doesn’t change the taste. They are so good with a glass of warm milk. I found this recipe at midnight because I wanted something sweet and for some reason cream cheese and biscuits came to mind. Then I searched on pinterest and here I am almost 1am and I am baking these so yummy little pieces of heaven.
Lol, Kassis!! I love that you made these in the middle of the night. I’ve been there! 🙂 I’m glad you loved them. Thanks for the feedback!
These look perfect, Im just wondering if they are better right out of the oven or let them sit in the fridge for a while.
We did eat them right out of the oven and they were good, but I definitely preferred them refrigerated. It allows the cream cheese time to set and develops the flavor a bit. Enjoy!
These were so yummy and easy! You’re right, they were great cold (I was afraid the biscuits would get hard but they didn’t) although my bf stuck em in the toaster oven mostly and that was great too. Oh and I didn’t have coarse sugar on hand so I just dusted with cinnamon sugar. Added a bit of vanilla to the cream cheese mixture too.
Mmmm….I bet they were good warmed in the toaster oven! I’m glad you loved them!
Making these tonight with my boyfriend and best friend! Loved these when McDonalds had them…thanks so much for the recipe!! 🙂
You’re welcome!
I made these for the first time today and they are very tasty!!! Next time i want to try making savory kind with cream cheese, chopped dill and garlic powder. Or how about salmon cream cheese? I think they would taste very good,too.
Those a great ideas! I would love a cheesy, savory one. 🙂
I really want to make these but I only have actual puff pastry, is that okay? Like just cutting the sheet into little squares and doing the same thing?
They’ll definitely poof up more with the puff pastry. I think it would work, but I can’t say for sure.