Easy Cheese Danish
From the flaky pastry to the creamy filling and bright lemon glaze, this Cheese Danish is impressively delicious with minimal prep, thanks to starting with store-bought puff pastry.
Servings: 8
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (13-17 ounce package) puff pastry thawed if frozen
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 large egg for filling
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 large egg yolk for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + more if needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, and ¼ cup powdered sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Unroll the puff pastry and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly roll out the puff pastry just to remove lines from the packaging. Spread cream cheese filling down the center of the puff pastry, in about a 2 to 3-inch wide section. If you are adding any toppings to the cheese danish, add to the top of the cream cheese mixture at this time.
- Cut ½-inch diagonal strips up each side of the dough and then fold those pieces over the filling, alternating sides to resemble a braided pattern. Tuck any excess dough under the ends to seal the danish. Pop the baking tray into the fridge to let the danish chill while the oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
- Once the oven is preheated, mix together 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and brush the exposed puff pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
- For the glaze, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons fresh 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 cooled Cheese Danish. Let the glaze harden for 5-10 minutes and then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Puff Pastry: Frozen puff pastry often comes in 17-ounce size packages with 2 sheets. Refrigerated puff pastry comes in one 13 ounce sheet. If using 2 sheets, gently press them together to form one larger sheet.
Storage: While best enjoyed the same day it is baked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Warm in the microwave briefly before serving.
Prepare in Advance: Prepare up to making the egg wash then flash freeze for several hours until frozen solid. Carefully wrap the frozen danish with plastic wrap and place into a freezer-safe storage bag. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, place the frozen pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with an egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400℉ (200℃), or until golden brown. Glaze as directed.
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
