Cream Cheese Danish

From the flaky, buttery pastry, to the sweet, yet slightly tart creamy filling, to the bright lemon glaze, these Cream Cheese Danishes are always a huge hit. They are easy to make, can be flavored in a variety of different ways, and have show-stopping appeal! While they look impressive and seem complicated to make at home, with a few short-cuts these danishes are super simple to make. 

Store-bought puff pastry is the secret to making these cream cheese danishes. The puff pastry forms the perfect base for the sweetened cream cheese filling and bakes up to flaky, tender perfection. A simple lemon glaze adds a sweet tart finish to these danishes. They are a perfect addition to any breakfast or bunch menu, especially when paired with a Spinach Frittata and Oven Baked Bacon.

I have been making Cream Cheese Danishes for years. They are one of my most requested recipes anytime I host brunch or out of town guests.

Most people THINK that these breakfast pastries are quite complicated to make at home. But that is simply not the case! They are made with a handful of ingredients that are easy to find at any grocery store. And they come together with minimal effort for a delicious, beautiful creation.

Key Ingredients

• Puff Pastry: Frozen or refrigerated puff pastry makes these danishes incredibly easy to prepare. I purchase a brand without hydrogenated oils that both Walmart and my local grocery chain carry. Whole foods and Trader Joe's also have a brand without hydrogenated oils as well. If you do use frozen puff pastry, be sure to place in the refrigerator to thaw the day before making.
• Cream Cheese: You can use regular cream cheese or low fat cream cheese, but do not use fat free cream cheese as the flavor will not be the same.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is the best choice of sweetener to use for this recipe, as it will dissolve perfectly into the cream cheese and is used for the glaze on the pastry as well.
• Eggs: An egg yolk is used for the filling of the danish and a whole egg is used for an egg wash that helps give the pastry it's beautiful golden color.
• Fresh Lemons: I use the lemon zest and lemon juice in the cream cheese filling for a pop of flavor and the fresh lemon juice to make the glaze. The lemon really pairs beautifully with the sweetened cream cheese to add citrus notes and to balance the overall sweetness of these danishes.

How To Make Cream Cheese Danishes

• Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set mixture aside.

• Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surfaced, silpat or parchment paper, lightly until smooth.

• Cut the pastry in half and then each half into fourths.

• Place each square of pastry onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
• Fold up each corner of the square, to resemble the shape of an octagon.

• Add approximately 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the center or each pastry. Gently spread out just to flatten the cream cheese. You want the corners of the pastry that were folded over to be covered with the cream cheese mixture just slightly.

• If you are adding any toppings to your danishes, add to top of cream cheese mixture.

• In a small bowl, mix together an egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
• Brush the exposed puff pastry with the egg wash.

• Bake until golden brown.

• While the pastries are cooling, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. You want the mixture to drizzle slowly off a fork. Add 1 tablespoon more powdered sugar at a time to thicken or ½ teaspoon more lemon juice to thin.

• Drizzle the lemon glaze over the pastries once they have slightly cooled.

Preparing in Advance

These pastries are perfect for entertaining at breakfast or brunch and you can get prep them in advance so that you have less to do the morning you are entertaining guests.

• To freeze these pastries, prepare as directed up to making the egg wash. Place the baking tray directly in the freezer and freeze for several hours or overnight until the danishes have frozen solid.
• Once frozen, you can carefully remove the danish and tray from the freezer, and place in an airtight container, in between sheets of parchment paper. I recommend a container over a freezer bag as they pastries are fragile and can break easily if they are tossed about in a freezer bag.
• When ready to bake, place frozen pastries onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with an egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until golden brown.
• Glaze as directed.

More Recipes Perfect for Entertaining at Brunch

• Mini Breakfast Quiche
• Easy Breakfast Casserole
• Green Chile Egg Casserole
• Homemade Breakfast Sausage
• Overnight French Toast Casserole

Cream Cheese Danishes

Puff pastry forms the perfect flaky buttery base for the sweetened cream cheese filling and a simple lemon glaze adds a sweet tart finish to these danishes.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American, French

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 272kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 13-17 ounce package puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 egg yolk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢ ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 egg

Lemon Glaze

• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, silpat or parchment paper, lightly until smooth--just to remove lines from packaging.
• Cut the pastry in half and then each half into fourths.
• Place each square of pastry onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
• Fold up each corner of the square, to resemble the shape of an octagon.
• Add approximately 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the center or each pastry. Gently spread out just to flatten the cream cheese. You want the corners of the pastry that were folded over to be covered with the cream cheese mixture just slightly.
• If you are adding any toppings to your danishes, add to the top of the cream cheese mixture at this time. Use no more than 1 teaspoon of topping per danish.
• In a small bowl, mix together an egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
• Brush the exposed puff pastry with the egg wash.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
• Mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. You want the mixture to drizzle slowly off a fork. Add 1 tablespoon more powdered sugar at a time to thicken or ½ teaspoon more lemon juice to thin.
• Drizzle the lemon glaze over the pastries.

Equipment Needed

• Parchment Paper

Notes

• Puff Pastry: Frozen puff pastry often comes in 17 ounce size packages or 2 sheets. Refrigerated puff pastry comes in one 13 ounce sheet. You can use either size without much difference in results.
• Flavor Ideas: Add up to 1 teaspoon of fresh blueberries, jam, lemon curd, or chocolate chips to each pastry in addition to the cream cheese mixture to add variety and flavor to each danish.
• Prepare in Advance: To freeze these pastries, prepare as directed up to making the egg wash. Place the baking tray directly in the freezer and freeze for several hours or overnight until the danishes have frozen solid. Once frozen, you can carefully remove the danish and tray from the freezer, and place it in an airtight container, in between sheets of parchment paper. When ready to bake, place frozen pastries onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with an egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until golden brown. Glaze as directed.
• Cream cheese danishes are best served the same day they are baked, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and warmed in the microwave before serving. 
• Instead of preparing individual danishes, you can prepare one large or two medium danishes. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry into a rectangular shape. Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise in a 3-½-in.-wide strip down center of dough. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips about 3-¾ in. into center. Fold alternating strips at an angle across berries. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Brush with egg wash and bake for 20-22 minutes at 400 degrees. Glaze with lemon glaze and cut into thin slices for serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

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