This Lemon Cream Cheese Danish is a favorite breakfast recipe with very little effort. Store-bought puff pastry is topped with a cream cheese mixture and lemon curd.
Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Danish Recipe
There’s no need to run up to the bakery for a danish when it’s so easy to make your own at home. The best thing about this lemon danish recipe is how easy it is to make.
I think puff pastry sheets are one of the best creations EVER! They are so easy to use for recipes like our apple hand pies, ham and cheese pinwheels, steak and ale pie and cream cheese stuffed pastry appetizers to just name a few. I love to keep it on hand in my freezer.
This simple lemon pastry has a filling that tastes like lemon cheesecake on top of a buttery flaky crust. We make this all the time and my entire family loves it!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Danish
- Easy to make – using prepared dough or ready-made puff pastry.Perfect texture – crispy outside, soft inside and a creamy middleSweet and tart lemon curd – and it takes 10-15 minutes to make from scratch.Can be made ahead of time – and even frozen!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Cream cheese – softened.
- Lemon – lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Flavoring – vanilla extract is used along with the lemon.
- Sugar – granulated.
- Puff pastry – you can find this in the frozen section of any grocery store.
- Flour – for dusting the work surface.
- Lemon Curd – you can buy this already made or make our easy homemade lemon curd.
- Eggs wash – egg and water.
- Powdered sugar – for dusting on top.
What is Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd is made from eggs, sugar, juice from real lemons, and real butter. It’s delicious! This recipe calls for prepared lemon curd, so either make yours ahead of time using our homemade lemon curd recipe or buy it already made in the store.
You can use lemon curd on all sorts of recipes, like lemon hand pies, lemon cookies, lemon cake, lemon cheesecake bars and lots of other goodies.
How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Danish At Home
- Make the filling. The cream cheese needs to be softened for a smooth creamy filling.
- Prepare the dough. Unfold the pastry sheet and use a pizza cutter to cut our circles.
- Add filling. Leaving a small border around the edge.
- Egg wash. This gives the dough a nice golden brown color.
- Bake. After the pastry is baked, add the lemon curd on top.
Tips & Variations
- Filling – If you aren’t a fan of cream cheese, just leave that off and add the lemon curd. It’s delicious with or without.
- Cream Cheese – you can also buy flavored cream cheese like mixed berry or strawberry that might be a fun twist.
- Toppings – add some fresh berries on top of extra lemon zest.
- Storing – place the danishes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze – wrap the pastry tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Other Danish Recipes
Lemon Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 17.3 ounce package puff pastry
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and lemon juice.
- Gently flour your clean work surface, and unfold the puff pasty.
- Using your fingertips, gently press the creased areas flat. Use a rolling pin if necessary. Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out 4 circles. Repeat steps 4-6 with the remaining sheet of puff pastry.
- Place circles onto baking sheet. Gently score border about ½-1 inch inside each puff pastry circle. Using a fork, poke several times inside each of the circles.
- Spread cream cheese mixture into each circle, keeping inside the boarder.
- In a small bowl, mix together egg and water until frothy. Brush the border of each with egg mixture.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet.
- Heat lemon curd in the microwave for 25 seconds, then spoon on top of each danish.
- Sprinkle a pinch of lemon zest and dust with powdered sugar prior to serving.
Last Step:
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1 thought on “Lemon Cream Cheese Danish”
How much butter in the Lemon Curd for the Lemon and Cream Cheese Danish please? Your recipe says, “the butter”. I am also not certain. Do you layer the puff pastry or does each make its own. If it had servings, I’d have been able to figure that out. Maybe I just need coffee.
Looks tasty. Thanks.