Easy Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish with Puff Pastry Recipe
This Easy Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish recipe features flaky puff pastry filled with a luscious cream cheese mixture and fresh raspberries. Perfectly sweet and creamy with a hint of lemon zest, these individual danishes are quick to prepare and make a delightful breakfast or dessert treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Breakfast Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
Danish
- 1 package puff pastry (typically 2 sheets), thawed
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 1 splash water (for egg wash)
- Extra sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it's hot and ready for baking the danishes.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Let the puff pastry sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it's easier to work with and can be rolled out smoothly.
- Make Cream Cheese Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon zest, sugar, heavy cream, vanilla paste, and one egg yolk. Whip these ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, creating a rich filling.
- Roll and Cut Pastry: Roll out the puff pastry sheets to smooth out any seams. Cut the pastry into 6 even squares or rectangles.
- Create Pastry Borders: Using the backside of a knife, gently score a rectangle line about ½ inch from the edges of each cut puff pastry piece without cutting all the way through. This technique helps the edges puff up around the filling when baked.
- Fill Pastry: Spoon a generous dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each puff pastry piece. Spread it out evenly, leaving about a ¼ inch border around the edges free of filling.
- Add Raspberries: Place a few fresh raspberries on top of the cream cheese filling on each piece.
- Apply Egg Wash and Sugar: Beat the remaining whole egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash. Brush this along the edges of each puff pastry to give them a glossy finish. Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top for added sweetness and crunch.
- Bake: Bake the danishes in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and enjoy these delicious raspberry cream cheese danishes warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure a smooth filling.
- Do not cut through the scored lines on the puff pastry; this keeps the borders raised and creates the signature danish look.
- Use fresh or frozen raspberries; if frozen, thaw and drain excess liquid to prevent sogginess.
- You can substitute vanilla extract if vanilla paste is unavailable.
- Serve danishes fresh for best texture as puff pastry can lose crispness if stored too long.
