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Easy Cream Cheese Danish Recipe with Bakery-Style Flavor

Easy Cream Cheese Danish Recipe with Bakery-Style Flavor

Flaky puff pastry is filled with sweet vanilla cream cheese and optional fruit preserves, then baked until golden and finished with a simple glaze. This recipe makes 8 Danish pastries.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Danish Pastries
  • 1 sheet, about 8 oz Frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold
Cream Cheese Filling
  • 8 oz Full-fat brick-style cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 Large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt
Fruit Filling
  • 1/3 cup, optional Raspberry, apricot, or strawberry preserves
Egg Wash
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 tablespoon Water
Simple Glaze
  • 1 cup Confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons Milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions, keeping it cold rather than soft or sticky. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, flour, lemon zest, and salt until smooth. Keep the preserves nearby if using.
  3. Unfold the cold puff pastry and cut it into eight equal rectangles or squares. Score a smaller border inside each piece without cutting all the way through, then prick the center lightly with a fork.
  4. Arrange the pastry pieces on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of cream-cheese filling into the center of each piece and add about 2 teaspoons of preserves if desired.
  5. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it over the exposed pastry edges. If the dough has softened, chill the assembled pastries for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is deeply puffed and golden brown and the filling is set. Cool for at least 10 minutes before glazing.
  7. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled Danish and serve.

Notes

Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for a thicker filling. Keep the puff pastry cold, avoid overfilling, and bake until properly golden so the pastry does not collapse as it cools.