Quick And Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients

• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp. apple jelly
• 1/2 tsp. warm water, if needed
• -1 (17.3-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• All-purpose flour, for surface
• 2 (6-oz.) pkg. fresh raspberries or blackberries or 2 thinly sliced plums or peaches
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans

Directions

1. Make cream cheese filling:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Stir together cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in a medium bowl until smooth, and set aside.
• Whisk apple jelly in a separate medium bowl until mostly smooth, adding 1/2 teaspoon warm water, if needed. Set aside.

2. Cut puff pastry into rectangles:

• Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10- x 11-inch rectangle; cut into quarters. Place pastry rectangles 1/2 inch apart on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

3. Spread cream cheese filling:

• Prick centers of dough rectangles with a fork several times, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Spread half of the cream cheese mixture within the border (about 2 tablespoons per rectangle).

4. Add fruits:

• Arrange half of your desired fruit over the cream cheese-topped dough rectangles. Spoon half of apple jelly over fruit. Brush pastry edges with beaten egg.

5. Bake danishes:

• Bake in preheated oven until edges and bottoms are golden brown, 22 to 30 minutes, covering loosely with foil during last 5 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning, if needed. Let cool on pan 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet, cream cheese mixture, fruit, apple jelly, and beaten egg.

6. Make glaze:

• Add powdered sugar to a medium bowl; gradually stir in 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, adding remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice as needed until smooth. Drizzle glaze over pastries; sprinkle with almonds or pecans.

Best Puff Pastry Practices

Frozen puff pastry is a great store-bought shortcut, but there are some dos and don'ts to keep in mind while working with it:

• Keep it cold: Puff pastry is much easier to handle when it’s cold. Use one sheet at a time, and keep the other refrigerated while you work.
• Get creative with tools: If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use a wine bottle, or even an empty plastic soda bottle to roll out the puff pastry instead. A clean paint brush can also be used for the egg wash, if you don’t have a pastry brush.
• Transfer immediately: Once your puff pastry is cut, place the rectangles onto parchment-lined baking sheets to do the scoring, topping, etc.—it can be very difficult to move the dough after it has been loaded up with toppings.
• Score the pastry: Pricking the center of the dough with a fork helps create a flat well for the filling and fruit.
• Brush with egg: Don’t skip the egg wash! It makes for pretty, glossy Danishes when baked.

Credit:

Editor's Note: This recipe was developed by Karen Rankin;

the recipe tips were written by Katie Rosenhouse.

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Updated on May 2, 2025