Print

Easy Homemade Cheese Danish Recipe for a Delicious Breakfast Treat

Easy Homemade Cheese Danish Recipe for a Delicious Breakfast Treat - Featured Image
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Learn how to make delicious Easy Homemade Cheese Danish. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt as a substitute)
  • 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk for brushing
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: zest of 1 lemon for a bright note in the filling

Substitutions here are gentle—if you’re out of sour cream, Greek yogurt works just fine without losing that tender crumb. And if you want to swap the granulated sugar for honey or maple syrup in the filling, that’s a sweet twist Mama Lu might have enjoyed on a lazy afternoon.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This step is crucial—Mama Lu always said a warm oven is like a warm hug for dough.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. The butter bits are what give you that flaky, tender crust.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and one egg until smooth. Stir this into the dry ingredients just until the dough starts to come together. Don’t overwork it—Mama Lu always warned me that too much handling makes the dough tough.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a couple of times until smooth. Shape it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes. This rest period helps relax the gluten and keeps the butter firm.
  5. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest (if using) until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
  6. Once chilled, roll the dough out into a roughly 12×16-inch rectangle. Cut it into six rectangles—these will be your individual Danishes.
  7. Place a generous spoonful of the cream cheese filling in the center of each rectangle. Fold the corners toward the center, pinching gently to seal but leaving some filling visible in the middle. This folding technique was something Mama Lu showed me one afternoon, and it always made the pastries feel like little gifts.
  8. Transfer the Danishes to your prepared baking sheet. Whisk the remaining egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush it lightly over each pastry—this gives them that golden, glossy finish.
  9. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the pastries are puffed and golden brown. The smell will fill your kitchen with memories, I promise.
  10. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. These are delightful warm but hold their charm at room temperature, too.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/easy-homemade-cheese-danish/