Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
User Reviews
5
Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
Description
This Danish uses a softened cream cheese filling flavored with powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice for a fresh, tangy creaminess. The filling is placed in the center of a rolled and slit puff pastry sheet, with dough strips braided across the top to encase it in an elegant design.
An egg wash lends the pastry a shiny, golden crust as it bakes at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes. The final touch is a lemon glaze made from powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of cream, drizzled after the pastry has cooled slightly. The combination results in a flaky, rich dough with a bright and creamy center and a gentle sweet finish from the glaze.
Serving this Danish can be festive for breakfast, brunch, or a dessert option. The recipe can be adjusted to make individual pastries by cutting dough squares and folding corners over the cream cheese, following baking and glazing instructions.
Almond extract is optional and can be replaced with more vanilla extract, allowing flavor customization.
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
- lemon zest of 1 large
- 1/2 large lemon juiced
Dough
- 1 heet 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 lemon juice fresh
- 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
- This recipe serves about six but can be adjusted by portion size.
- Almond extract can be swapped for an equal amount of vanilla extract if preferred.
- For individual pastries, cut the dough into squares, fold and seal edges around the filling, brush with egg wash, then bake as directed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 522 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 522kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 90mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 293mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 129mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 22g | 44% |
| Vitamin A | 827IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 67mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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