The Recipe Critic

Cheese Danish

October 07, 2022

These cheese danishes are flaky, buttery, and full of tangy flavor. Topped with a sweet glaze and baked to perfection, this cheese danish recipe will make the perfect breakfast or dessert for any occasion. They were irresistibly good and gone way too fast!

I am a huge fan of puff pastry. Pre-made dough sheets of puff pastry are the way to go. If you are looking for other recipes to use your puff pastry with, you HAVE to try this Raspberry Baked Brie. It’s brie and raspberry preserves baked in puff pastry, and WOW! You might also love this Apple Danish or these Simple and Delicious Sausage Rolls. Get using those pastry sheets, you can thank me later!

Multiple cheese danishes served on a white plate.

Homemade Cheese Danish Recipe

Let me tell you, these Cheese Danishes are a home run. They are stunning, flaky, and everything you want to wake up to in the morning. They are simple to put together and the list of ingredients is mostly things you already have on hand. These Danishes are so simple because you don’t have to worry about making the dough, and you get all the reward of a delicious flaky dessert or breakfast treat in just 45 minutes.

It’s no secret I’m a fan of flaky crusts (hello Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust), and gooey sweet fillings. Cream puffs are probably one of my all-time favorite desserts, but sometimes I just don’t want to go through all the effort to make the dough and the custard fillings. This Cream Cheese Danish is the perfect compromise because I get the flaky chewy outside with the soft creamy inside for half the effort. And the taste is really hard to beat! I think your family will be just as wowed with this recipe as mine is.

Ingredients in Cheese Danish

You may have to run to the store for some frozen puff pastry sheets and cream cheese, but that’s it for this recipe! Everything else comes right out of your fridge and pantry and is ready to eat in just 50 minutes. It’s a simple recipe that will become a household favorite!

  • Puff Pastry: I bought one box of frozen puff pastry from the frozen section at the grocery store.
  • Cream Cheese: You will need an 8-ounce package of cream cheese, and make sure to leave it out for at least 2 hours before making this dessert so it is room temperature.
  • Granulated Sugar: I use the regular sugar out of my pantry. This is to sweeten the cream cheese filling.

Egg Wash

  • Egg: You will need one whole egg, I always use large Grade A eggs in my recipes.
  • Water: This is to mix with the egg for the egg wash.

Glaze

  • Vanilla Extract: Whatever your usual baking vanilla extract is will work.
  • Powdered Sugar: This is the key ingredient for this glaze, you won’t be happy with the results without it!
  • Milk: Milk makes the glaze creamy and smooth, any kind of milk will work.
6-photo collage of cheese danishes being prepared.

How to Make Cheese Danish From Scratch

This recipe was really simple and came out stunning. They looked so professional and everyone was so blown away by their delicious flavor. I know your family will love these Cheese Danishes as much as mine did!

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Then, in a small bowl mix the egg and water together with a fork to make the egg wash.
  3. Fold: Next open the first sheet of puff pastry and cut into 9 even squares. Then fold each square in half to form a triangle. After that, slice two slices along the open sides of the triangle, but leave a small space at the peak of the triangle uncut.
  4. Form: Open the triangle and use a pastry brush to brush the whole square. Then fold the cut corners of the square over to form the kite.
  5. Fill: Scoop a teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the center of the pastry and brush the edges with egg wash.
  6. Bake: Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the pastry begins to turn golden brown. Then move them to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
  7. Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make the glaze. Drizzle over the top of the Danishes and serve.
Closeup of baked cheese danishes laid out on parchment paper.

Tips and Variations

I loved making this cheese danish recipe, they turned out so beautifully and they were so tasty. Here are a few tips from my experience that will help you make the most out of this recipe.

  • Make a Different Shape: If you prefer not to make the more complex kite shape, keep the pastry cut in squares, add the filling to the center and fold the corners of the pastry in until they touch (but not cover) the filling. Brush with egg wash and bake. 
  • Try a Different Flavor: For a variation in flavor, try adding ¼ teaspoon almond extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the filling. You could also flavor the cream cheese, my favorite is Strawberry Cream Cheese!
  • Thawing the Puff Pastry: If your puff pastry doesn’t have time to thaw, wrap it in a paper towel and heat in the microwave in 10-second intervals until it’s able to unfold without cracking. Be careful not to thaw it too much.
  • Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Leave the cream cheese on the counter for 2-3 hours to ensure it’s soft enough to beat into a smooth filling.
Top-down view of cream cheese danishes on a white plate.

How to Store Leftovers

These cheese danishes make a lovely breakfast the next day. Here are a few tips on storing them to maintain freshness.

  • On the Counter: Store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Note: These do not freeze well. They are best if baked and eaten within a few days.

Other Breakfast Ideas

Every continental breakfast comes with a Danish. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite breakfast treats that would go great with these Danishes to give you a homemade continental breakfast experience!

Print

Cheese Danish

These cheese danishes are flaky, buttery, and full of tangy flavor. Topped with a sweet glaze and baked to perfection, this cheese danish recipe will make the perfect breakfast or dessert for any occasion. They were irresistibly good and gone way too fast!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Danish
Keyword cheese danish recipe, cream cheese danish recipe, recipe for cream cheese danish
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 18 Danishes
Calories 240kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets puff pastry 1 box, thawed
  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Egg wash

  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 tablespoons water

Glaze

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and lemon juice until smooth. In a small bowl mix the egg and water together with a fork to make the egg wash.
  • Open the first sheet of puff pastry and cut into 9 even squares. Fold each square in half to form a triangle. Slice two slices along the open sides of the triangle, but leave a small space at the peak of the triangle uncut.
  • Open the triangle and use a pastry brush to brush the whole square. Fold the cut corners of the square over to form the kite.
  • Scoop a teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the center of the pastry and brush the edges with egg wash.
  • Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the pastry begins to turn golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk to make the glaze. Drizzle over the top of the Danishes and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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