Elegant and easy to make, Puff Pastry Danishes are flaky, crispy-edged breakfast pastries that you can customize for everyone at your table. This easy danish recipe comes together almost too quickly to be believed.
Puff Pastry Danish
These danishes may not be exactly the same as their very labor-intensive traditional counterparts, but they are a delightful, super-fast substitute.
While you most certainly can use homemade pastry in this recipe, I generally use frozen puff pastry. The frozen stuff is just too convenient!
To make these even more quickly, I prep all the filling ingredients the night before and then just assemble and bake them in the morning.
Danish with Puff Pastry
To make these breakfast beauties, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Egg
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Puff pastry
- Water
- Jam, jelly, and/or chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
You may be tempted to try using pie filling instead of jam or jelly, but I don’t recommend it. I found it to be a little too watery for these danishes.
These are best enjoyed the same day they are made. Don’t get me wrong, these are still good 24 hours later, they just don’t have the same crispness after the first day.
Puff Pastry Danish Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. To prepare the filling, use a hand mixer or sturdy spoon to beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla until well combined. Set this aside.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll each puff pastry sheet into a 12 x 12 inch square.
Cut each into 9 pieces. Prick with a fork three or four times in the center, leaving an untouched border around the outside edge. Beat the egg white and water together and brush onto each puff pastry square.
Dollop a scant tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each square and then top with a teaspoon of your choice of jam, jelly, or chocolate chips.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until puffy and light golden brown. Use a spatula to transfer them to cool on wire racks.
Whisk together the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk to start. If it is too thick, you can whisk in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Drizzle over the top of the danishes.
While these are best served the same day, you can store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you make them, let me know what filling you tried! Chocolate chip was my kids’ favorite because they really do love everything chocolate, but I loved the raspberry ones.
Puff Pastry Cream Cheese Danishes
Ingredients
For the filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
For the Danishes
- 2 puff pastry sheets slightly thawed
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 cup jam jelly or chocolate chips
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F.
- With a hand mixer or sturdy spoon, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the egg yolk, lemon juice and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll each puff pastry sheet into a 12 x 12 inch square. Cut each into 9 pieces.
- Prick with a fork 3 to 4 times in the center, leaving an untouched border around the outside edge. Beat the egg white and water together and brush onto each puff pastry square.
- Dollop a scant tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each square and then top with a teaspoon of your choice of jam, jelly, or chocolate chips.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until puffy and lightly golden brown. Use a spatula to transfer them to cool on wire racks.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk to start. If it is too thick, you can whisk in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Drizzle over the top of the danishes.
- While these are best served the same day, you can store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
{originally published 7/2/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/27/25}
Looking for some more ways to use puff pastry? Try Caramel Apple Puff Pastries or Pumpkin Pie Puff Pastry Turnovers!
Sommer says
These are a family favorite in my house! I get requests to make them all the time!
Beth Klosterboer says
Having freshly made cheese danishes sure beats anything you can buy in a store.
Toni says
No one believed I made these myself! They thought I bought them at a bakery.
shelby says
I love anything made with puff pastry, It adds such a buttery deliciousness to anything its made with. These pastries are a hit with me and I love their individual portioned sizes!
Aimee Shugarman says
So easy and so good. LOVE to keep the ingredients on hand to make these on weekends.
Pasaste A says
These are a family favorite in my house! I get requests to make them all the time!
Margaret Harasym says
I docked the middle of each square and each one still puffed up (along with the cream cheese) and the jam all fell off…delicious, but not as pretty.
Shirley says
My jam all fell too… Delicious, but not pretty. What’s the secret for making it pretty?
Jala says
Hiya thanks for the fillings but just so you know. Puff Pastry is the easiest dough to make. All the “keep it coldl scare is nonsense. Mix it, flatten butter, wrap and roll. Cool room. Don’t worry about all the fridge time. Truly easy as white bread.
Bissous
Susie Ducote says
Is there a way to use some type of blueberries or strawberries for these danishes?
Vicki says
Absolutely I used strawberry last week. The kind they use at bakery to fill doughnuts….they were yummy! I didn’t use cream cheese just the strawberry filling and glaze on top.
Mary says
I’m glad you’re enjoying the danishes, Vicki!
Debra Theriot says
I used homemade blueberry and strawberry jam. WOW.
Followed directions and these were delish! I will be making some for 4th of July morning.
Trisha L Monroe says
Hi,
Will it be alright if I use canned pie filling?
Judith Alexander says
I am 67 and I just learned to make puff pastry so you could be right about the timing thing. I just wanted to tell you it’s not very hard but it is time consuming and it will give you muscles in your arms and back. I’m going to give you the link here if I can make it work for a guy who I learn to make it from and he just has the simplest easiest method. I haven’t made these yet but I’m going to get the ingredients today. I do have quite a large piece of puff pastry that I finish making yesterday In the refrigerator so I’ll be making a ground beef and cheese roll tonight with it and also these danishes I think. I do love a good cheese danish so I’ll let you know how they turn out. Thank you for the recipe.
Jean says
These are so “bakery shop” looking, so easy and oh so good! My son said he’d rather have these than kolackys I make and they used to be a favorite in the house. I used apricot, raspberry and cherry cans of Solo filling.
Mary says
I’m so happy to hear that you like them, Jean!
Maddi V says
Truly a wonderful recipe. And very simple too! For a novice like me it was really easy. A quick question though: has anyone figured out what to do with the leftover cream cheese filling, because I’m not quite sure what to do with it?
Mary says
I’m glad you like the danishes, Maddi. I typically use all of the cream cheese filling, but it would be delicious on pancakes or waffles, on muffins, pretty much any way you think it might be tasty!
Joan says
I crumbled up a few Graham crackers, melted butter, pressed into cupcake tin and made mini cheesecakes
Elaine says
These were the absolute best and easiest recipe. Only 2 were left for the next day and I agree they are better on the day made. I used strawberry preserves for the top and tried just to use the fruit and they were terrific without the icing. Thanks for sharing what will become a family favorite!
Mary says
I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Elaine!
Paula says
These were so easy to make and yummy!!!!!!!! I’ll definitely make them again!
Mary says
I’m thrilled that you love them, Paula!
Donna says
These were a huge hit at my daughters holiday gathering…
Laura says
These danishes were very easy to make! I only wished the underside where the filling was had risen a little more, but otherwise they were so good. I used a variety of fillings and we loved the Trader Joe’s Apple Cider Fruit Spread the best.
Mary says
I’m so glad you like them, Laura!
Carmen says
Love these but my cream cheese filling seemed to get crumbly after a day. It did not stay soft and creamy.
Mary says
Did you store them in the fridge? or on the counter, Carmen? I’ve found that warming them briefly will help with that.
Dave says
These were very easy to make and quite tasty! I was thinking 18 might be too many, but my family proved me wrong … gone in 2 days, no worries! LOL I will definately make this recipe many, many more times. Delicious!
Mary says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
SAndy says
WTH can’t u see the recipe any more?…… it’s advertisements everywhere 😫
Mary says
Thanks for the heads up, Sandy. We’re actually working on this now. There’s an issue with my ad management company.
coco says
i loved these thanks
Mary says
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Coco!
Kristina says
I had frozen puff pastry that I didn’t know what to do with, and wow did these turn out amazing!!
Mary says
Love when an accidental plan comes together. Thank you for sharing, Kristina.
Dana Freiberger says
My sister-in-law made these for Christmas breakfast in the past. And they were always so delicious and beautiful. I thought I would try my hand at them. She used plum jelly for hers so I am doing half in that flavor and the other in peach.
I used both homemade peach jam and a store bought plum jelly. The peach danishes puffed moderately and were very tasty. The plum jelly just ran everywhere and did not remain in the center of the danish. The puff pastry for that flavor also did not puff at all where the jelly had melted and ran onto the pan. I was very disappointed. So my take away lesson was to use jam that actually has bits of fruit in it. A true jelly does not have enough substance to hold a sticky form in the center. (unless I am doing something wrong).
I will make again as I will need more practice to get these right.
Mary says
You can master them, Dana! I do agree that a thicker fruit-filled jam does work the best.
Heather Fuhrken says
15 minutes was too long for me. They burned. 😞 They were way to make though.
Mary says
You might check your oven temperature, Heather.
Laurie Johnson says
Can these be made with cherry or blueberry pie filling?
Mary says
They sure could, Laurie.
Anne says
These were amazing! I used store bought buttery puff pastry sheets and homemade cranberry jam. I also experimented with Nutella. So delicious and the house smelled like a bakery 🙂 Will definitely make again. As for the cream cheese filling, I only used 3/4 of a block and I had none left over 😉
Mary says
Thank you for sharing, Anne.
Steph says
I am making these for Easter brunch tomorrow. Can they be prepped the night before and baked the next morning?
Mary says
I haven’t tried that, Steph. I’m guessing it will work, but I honestly don’t know for certain.
Marilyn Hentz says
I’ve made these before,Yum, and found that putting them in the airfryer the next day crisped them up nicely and warmed the filling.
Mary says
I’m glad they were a hit, Marilyn! Thanks for the airfryer tip too.
Debbie says
I used some strawberry freezer jam I had on hand. So delicous And looked so professional! Still very good the next day!!
Mary says
I’m glad the danishes turned out so well, Debbie! Happy holidays, and happy cooking.
Michelle Christina Bachard Muthiani says
This recipe was so good! The whole family loved it. We had three different kinds, cream cheese filling, strawberry jam, and chocolate chunk.
Mary says
That sounds delicious, Michelle. I hope you continue to enjoy the danishes; happy cooking!
Birdie Dannheim says
I love these with Smuckers Red Raspberry Preserves. I also do a few with fresh blueberries.
Mary says
I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Birdie!
Sharon Claffey says
Made these Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danish’s. They were fantastic. Recipe was great! Easy to follow. Family loved them!
Mary says
I’m glad the danishes were a hit, Sharon!
Pauline says
Made these… Easy peasy.. DELISH 👍
Mary says
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Pauline!
Ruby says
I’m a 14 yr. and summer is getting boring really quickly I think we’ve all been there. so, I decided to pick up a new hobby! this dish is the first dish I’ve ever made and wow it was amazing, my puff pastry didn’t really puff a lot but so what don’t judge a book by its cover! I’m super proud of myself in this and my mom basically scarfed her Danish down I think that’s a sign I can’t wait to these again! ❤️
Mary says
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed them, Ruby!
Velma says
Easy recipe to follow and danishes turned out great!
Mary says
I’m thrilled the recipe was a hit!