Over Labor Day, Kara, Cliff, Winnie and I went to San Francisco. Our main reason for this vacation was to eat our way through the city, but we also made some time for sightseeing and touring. Don’t worry, we’ll share San Fran posts soon…but first I wanted to share this Cheese Danish, it was inspired by our trip.
Danish has been on our ‘To-Do List’ since day 1 of our blog. Day 1!! Not even joking.
For whatever reason we just kept putting it off. Intimidation mostly. But when we went to San Francisco we hit up La Boulange Bakery and basically fell in love with everything in sight. I ordered a Cheese Danish that was…hmmmm…flaky and soft cream cheese pillows on my lips. In other words it was pretty darn good. That Cheese Danish was the kick in the butt we needed to try our own homemade version.
I’ll admit…it wasn’t quite as good as La Boulange Bakery. But it was our first time ever making danish, so cut us some slack! I will definitely try this recipe over and over trying to fine tune and perfect it. Afterall, I don’t mind taste-testing lemony cheese danish every single day of my life until it is juuuusssst right!
Here’s what you’ll need
Beat cream cheese and sugar then add lemon juice, zest, an egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla; beat until combined
Cut puff pastry into rectangles. Spread a spoonful of filling on each. Fold over each side and lightly brush with egg wash

Bake until golden brown and crispy…devour!

Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg white (whisked with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until well incorporated.
- Unfold the puff pastry and cut into 6 equal rectangles.
- Place about a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling on each rectangle and spread slightly.
- Pull each of the 4 corners into the center to form a little package. Place danish on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each ‘package’ with egg wash.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crispy.