Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
This shortcut recipe for a Cheese Danish is made with store-bought puff pastry dough and a lemony sweet cream cheese filling.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 522kcal
Ingredients
Filling
- 12 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar whisked to remove any lumps
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 large lemon juiced
Dough
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed and rolled out a little until it's an even thickness
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp water
Sweet lemon glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar whisked to remove any lumps
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbps heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the filling
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest and lemon juice. Beat with a handheld mixer until well combined and creamy.
Prepare dough
- On prepared baking sheet, or a large cutting board, unroll thawed puff pastry sheet. Roll out a little to flatten the dough out.
- Carefully cut slits, about 1.5-2” long and 1” apart going down the side of the sheet. Repeat on opposite side.
Assemble
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture down the center of the puff pastry sheet, leaving a small border between the mixture and the slits.
- Cross the strips over the top of the cream cheese mixture, alternating from one side, then the other, overlapping the ends in the middle.
Egg wash
- Whisk together the egg and water and brush over the top of the braided pastry.
Bake
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
- Pastry will be puffed up, but will settle as it cools. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
Make glaze
- While pastry is cooling, add glaze ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until creamy and smooth.
Serve
- Drizzle some of the glaze over the top of the pastry.
- Serve warm, or store in the refrigerator, and drizzle with any remaining glaze, if desired.
Notes
- I estimate this recipe will serve approximately 6 people, but that can be adjusted based on your preferences.
- If desired, the almond extract can be substituted with an equal amount of additional vanilla extract.
Individual Cheese Danish Pastries
- Keep ingredients the same.
- Roll puff pastry dough out a little, then cut into squares (approximately 4 inches).
- Brush the edges of the squares with egg wash, then fold in each corner of the square (about 1") towards the center. Press gently so they stick.
- Scoop a Tbsp or two in the center of the squares, then brush exposed puff pastry with egg wash.
- Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes.
- Let cool, then glaze as directed.
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 827IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg