Delicious Puff Pastry Danishes – A Baking Obsession

Use your favorite fruit preserves paired with a tangy cream cheese filling and flaky pastry to make these easy and delicious puff pastry danishes!

Quick and Easy Cheese Danishes Made with Puff Pastry

Who doesn’t love a good cheese danish? If I’m at a coffee shop and there are danishes on display, I can’t resist getting one. Surprisingly, it didn’t occur to me to make them at home until recently. I use puff pastry all the time for other delights like apple tarts and cherry turnovers, so why not for a delicious danish too?

These puff pastry danishes are filled with a tangy cream cheese mixture and topped with your favorite fruit preserves. They’re not only easy to put together but also look impressive, making them perfect for a special brunch.

What’s the Difference Between Puff Pastry and Danish Pastry?

Puff pastry and traditional danish pastry share many similarities, which is why many home cooks opt for pre-made puff pastry for a quicker version of danishes. Both types of pastry are laminated doughs, where layers of dough are rolled and folded with butter.

Puff pastry rises and forms flaky layers due to the steam generated from the butter as it bakes, resulting in a crisp and buttery texture. In contrast, Danish pastry includes ingredients like yeast, eggs, and sugar, which give it a softer texture when baked. If you’re up for the challenge, consider trying homemade Danish pastry. But if you’re like me and need a quicker option while still enjoying fresh danishes for breakfast, puff pastry is a fantastic shortcut!

How to Make These Puff Pastry Danishes

These puff pastry danishes are visually stunning and surprisingly simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

• 8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
• ⅓ cup Bonne Maman fruit preserves

Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing for the filling. If you forget, you can quickly soften it! Using high-quality jam makes a noticeable difference, so grab your favorite brand.

You will need one egg for the egg wash, and for a delectable glaze, combine:

• ⅔ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Making These Danishes

Start by preparing the cream cheese filling. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. You can use a mixer for a perfectly creamy consistency.

With one sheet of thawed puff pastry, unfold it on a lightly floured surface, keeping the other sheet in the fridge. Cut the pastry into six equal rectangles and place on a lined baking sheet. Score a ½-inch border around each rectangle without cutting all the way through.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on each pastry and top with a teaspoon of jam. Whisk the egg with a bit of water and brush it onto the borders of each danish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 16-18 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Let them cool on a rack.

Whisk together the glaze ingredients to finish, and once the danishes have cooled, drizzle the glaze over them. The glaze will harden as it cools!

Storage Tips

Store your puff pastry danishes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to four days. While they may soften after a day, you can re-crisp them in a toaster oven.

Make-ahead

For convenience, you can assemble the danishes the night before and refrigerate. Simply bake and glaze them in the morning!