PastriesScandinavianMedium

Cream Cheese Danish Pastry

Name: Cream Cheese Danish Pastry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Ingredients: 1 package (2 sheets, 17.3 oz) (490 g) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed until just pliable; 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, full-fat, at room temperature (softened ~30 minutes); 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract; ½ cup (160 g) fruit preserves or jam (raspberry, apricot, or cherry); 1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) water; 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole milk; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) lemon zest, finely grated (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Flaky laminated Danish pastries with a tangy cream cheese and fruit filling, topped with a simple glaze. These Scandinavian-inspired pastries are best made with store-bought puff pastry for a foolproof result—just assemble, glaze, and bake until golden. Perfect for weekend breakfast or a bakery-quality brunch.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 8 min
Makes: 8 pastries (one per serving)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes before baking
Thaw puff pastry sheets at room temperature for 30–40 minutes until pliable but still cold
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper

1
Prepare cream cheese filling
- In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Do not overbeat.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth with no visible lumps
Tip: Keep filling cold; overmixing makes it grainy and separates
2
Roll out and cut pastry
- Remove thawed puff pastry from package.
- Place one sheet on a lightly floured surface.
- With a sharp knife, cut the sheet into four equal rectangles (roughly 4×5 inches / 10×13 cm).
- Repeat with the second sheet.
- Arrange all eight pastries on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
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Ready when: Eight equal rectangles on baking sheets
Tip: If pastry becomes too warm and sticky, slide the sheet into the freezer for 5 minutes to re-firm
3
Score and dock the pastry
- Using a sharp knife, lightly score a thin border (about ½ inch / 1.3 cm) around the edge of each pastry rectangle, being careful not to cut all the way through—this creates a raised frame.
- With a fork, prick the inner rectangle all over to prevent excessive puffing in the center.
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Ready when: Each pastry has a scored border and docked center
Tip: Don't cut through the border; it keeps the filling contained and creates a sturdy frame
4
Fill with cream cheese and jam
- Spoon or pipe about 1½ tablespoons (22 g) of cream cheese filling into the center (docked area) of each pastry, leaving the scored border clear.
- Top each with about 1 tablespoon (15 g) of fruit preserves, spreading it gently over the cream cheese.
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Ready when: All pastries filled evenly with cream cheese and jam
Tip: Don't overfill; jam will leak out of the sides during baking and burn on the sheet
5
Apply egg wash
- Brush the beaten egg and water mixture over the scored border of each pastry using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon.
- Avoid getting egg wash on the filling—it can prevent the jam from browning nicely.
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Ready when: All borders are glistening and wet
Tip: Egg wash on the border makes it golden; wipe away any drips on the parchment before baking
6
Chill pastries
- Once filled and glazed, slide both baking sheets into the freezer for 15–20 minutes.
- This firms up the puff pastry and helps it puff evenly in the oven, and the cold filling is less likely to leak.
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Ready when: Pastries are firm to the touch
Tip: Don't skip this step—cold pastry puffs much better and the layers stay distinct
7
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not already done.
- Remove baking sheets from freezer and place both in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 16–18 minutes, until the pastry borders are deep golden brown and the jam bubbles slightly at the edges.
- The puff pastry should puff dramatically and feel light.
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Ready when: Borders are deep golden brown, jam bubbles at edges, pastry is puffed and light
Tip: If one sheet browns faster, rotate it halfway through and leave the other in longer
8
Cool on wire rack
- Transfer pastries to a wire rack using a thin spatula.
- Let them cool for 10–15 minutes before glazing.
- They will firm up as they cool.
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Ready when: Pastries are cool enough to handle but still slightly warm
Tip: Cooling them slightly prevents the glaze from melting off immediately
9
Make and apply glaze
- Whisk together 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) whole milk, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) optional lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle or spread the glaze over the top of each cooled pastry, letting some pool in the center.
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Ready when: Glaze is smooth and covers all pastries
Tip: A thin glaze is best; thick glaze looks heavy and cracks as it dries

Good to know

Tips

For a shinier, crispier finish, brush pastries with egg wash a second time after they've baked for 8 minutes and are beginning to puff.
If filling leaks out during baking, the jam is too warm or too much was used. Chill pastries longer and use the exact amount of jam—jam expands as it heats.
Puff pastry must stay cold. If the dough becomes warm or sticky at any point, refrigerate for 5–10 minutes.
For mini Danish pastries, cut each puff pastry sheet into 12 smaller rectangles (2×3 inches / 5×8 cm), reduce filling to 1 teaspoon each, and bake for 12–14 minutes.

Make ahead

Assemble pastries through Step 5 (egg wash), then freeze on baking sheets overnight in an airtight container. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time. Or bake completely, cool, and freeze for up to 2 weeks; reheat wrapped in foil at 325°F (160°C) for 5–8 minutes until warmed through.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (2–3 hours in an airtight container); refrigerator (3–4 days, reheat gently); freezer (up to 2 weeks, thaw at room temperature or reheat gently in a 325°F/160°C oven, wrapped in foil, for 5–8 minutes).

Substitutions

fruit preserves or jam (raspberry, apricot, or cherry) → Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries), 2/3 cup (85 g), mixed with 2 tablespoons (20 g) sugar, or lemon curd. Fresh berries give a lighter flavor; lemon curd adds tartness. Reduce jam to ⅓ cup (80 g) if using lemon curd to avoid sogginess
cream cheese, full-fat → Mascarpone cheese, 8 oz (225 g), mixed with 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Mascarpone is richer and creamier; reduce powdered sugar in the filling to 2 tablespoons (16 g) to balance sweetness
frozen puff pastry sheets → Thawed phyllo dough (4–5 sheets), brushed with 2 tablespoons (30 g) melted butter between layers, cut into rectangles. Phyllo is crispier but less dramatic puff; brush each sheet individually and layer before filling
lemon zest → ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract or a tiny pinch of cardamom. Almond adds a subtle nuttiness; cardamom brings warmth and pairs beautifully with berry jams