If you need an easy but delicious breakfast idea, you will love this cheese danish recipe! It has a flaky buttery crust, a creamy center, and the perfect sweet glaze on top. It’s perfect for holidays like Christmas morning but is easy enough to pull off for a regular weekend morning.
Similar to what you can get at a bakery but at a fraction of the price, these danishes are surprisingly easy to make. Everyone will think you spent forever on them when in reality, it only took you a few minutes to prep. Make these alongside my easy French toast casserole or pancake recipe to really impress your guests at brunch.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Puff pastry — you can make this easy cream cheese danish completely from scratch with my homemade puff pastry or store-bought. Either way, this puff pastry cheese danish tastes ten times better than what you can grab from Starbucks.
Cream cheese — you will need cream cheese that comes as a block, not the tub version. I highly recommend using the full-fat one for the best creamy centers.
Lemon juice — juice your own lemons for a bright, fresh flavor. Bottled lemon juice does not have the same brightness.
Powdered sugar — forgot to buy powdered sugar? Not to worry! You can make your own by following my homemade powdered sugar recipe.
How to Make Cheese Danish
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the homemade puff pastry into a 16×8-inch rectangle.
2. Cut the puff pastry in half lengthwise and then into quarters crosswise, creating 8 (4-inch) squares.
3. Brush the edges of the squares lightly with the beaten egg white.
4. Fold each corner in about 1 inch towards the center and gently press to adhere. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Brush any exposed pastry with egg white.
5. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla on medium-low speed until well combined.
6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pastry. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating at the halfway mark.
7. While the pastries cool, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
8. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cheese danish before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you have a cookie scoop, use it to scoop the cream cheese filling so that they are even.
- Always thaw the puff pastry according to the package’s instructions, as the puff pastry will crack and tear if you try to roll frozen pastry.
- Puff pastry is sold in block form as well, so if you’d like to save time, be sure to grab puff pastry sheets to save yourself the work of rolling them flat.
- Add a spoonful of your favorite fruit jam in the center of the baked danish before drizzling with glaze for extra flavor.
- Give the cheese danishes a few minutes to cool before adding the glaze. You want the cheese danish to be warm but not piping hot as the glaze will melt off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What else can I add to the pastry?
Feel free to top each cheese danish with your favorite chopped fruit, berries, or chocolate chips. You can add them to the danishes before or after baking them.
Can I make these ahead of time?
These danishes keep very well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure to store them in an airtight container so the filling doesn’t take on any flavors from the refrigerator. When ready to eat, warm them in the oven or microwave.
Can I freeze these?
These cream cheese danishes are freezer-friendly! Flash freeze them on a lined sheet pan in a single layer until frozen solid. Once solid, transfer them into a freezer-safe bag or container and store them for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw them in the fridge and warm them in the microwave or oven.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Cheese Danish recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cheese Danish
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Danish
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened (170g)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 batch puff pastry or 1 box, thawed
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Danish:
- Position two oven racks towards the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla on medium-low speed until well combined.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the homemade puff pastry into a 16x8-inch rectangle, cut in half lengthwise, and then into quarters crosswise, creating 8 (4-inch) squares. (If using store-bought puff pastry, lightly roll each sheet to flatten the creases and cut to make 8 (4-inch) squares.) Brush the edges of the squares lightly with the beaten egg white. Fold each corner in about 1 inch towards the center and gently press to adhere. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Brush any exposed pastry with egg white.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each pastry.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pans and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. Let cool on the baking sheet while making the glaze.
For the Glaze:
- While the pastries cool, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the warm pastries before serving.
Notes
- If you have a cookie scoop, use it to scoop the cream cheese filling so that they are even.
- Always thaw the puff pastry according to the package’s instructions, as the puff pastry will crack and tear if you try to roll frozen pastry.
- Puff pastry is sold in block form as well, so if you’d like to save time, be sure to grab puff pastry sheets to save yourself the work of rolling them flat.
- Add a spoonful of your favorite fruit jam in the center of the baked danish before drizzling with glaze for extra flavor.
- Give the cheese danishes a few minutes to cool before adding the glaze. You want the cheese danish to be warm but not piping hot as the glaze will melt off.
