These Easy Danish pastries are filled with cream cheese or cherries right in the center to create a beautiful opened dessert!
My husband has commented that these look store-bought. I can see what he meant because they do have a beautiful store bought appearance by their neat twisted edges and open filling. It’s really not as complicated as it may seam… If you can make a spiral by twisting an object than I am certain you can make this dessert. Two strips of dough are required for this technique as one long strip can tear and rip during the forming process. I used puff pastry for my dough which results in a crispier danish but I did come across someone who spreads a vanilla buttercream on the top of one sheet; adds another sheet of dough, rolls out layers and then proceeds to the instructions below to create a richer danish (click here for that visual.) Use any filling you enjoy and feel free to use your favorite danish recipe for these pastries.
Ingredients needed for Easy Danish:
- 2 Sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 can of Cherry pie filling
- 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese, soft
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs, divided
GLAZE:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 7 tsp water
How to make Easy Danish:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out sheets of pastries to 10″ by 15″ rectangles. Cut each sheet into 15, 1″ pieces.
3. Take one strip of dough holding down one end; take the other end and swirl the strip to make a spiral. Then wrap spiral around clockwise to form a round shape.
4. Attach another strip of dough to the end of the first swirl and repeat likewise pinching down the end of the dough to seal the swirl.
5. Place swirls onto a lined baking sheet.
6. Then flatten the center of each swirl using your hands to make indents for the filling. Set aside.
To make cream cheese filling:
- In a shallow bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Then add one egg yolk (reserving the whites for the egg wash) and powdered sugar and beat until smooth and silky.
2. To make egg wash combine the reserved egg white, 1 whole egg and water.
3. Brush pastries with egg wash and fill each center with desired filling.
Note: Fill the cheese danishes with only 1 tbsp of filling and cover during baking. Once baked trim off any browned surfaces and top with remaining cheese filling, while still hot for white silky cheese tops as the cheese tends to brown easily.
4. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until golden.
5. TO MAKE GLAZE: stir together the powdered sugar and water until smooth.
6. Drizzle glaze over warm danishes and allow to cool before serving.
Easy Danish Recipe (Cream Cheese and Cherry Filling)
Ingredients
- DANISH:
- 2 Sheets puff pastry thawed
- 1/2 can of Cherry pie filling
- 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese soft
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs divided
- GLAZE:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 7 tsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out sheets of pastries to 10" by 15" rectangles. Cut each sheet into 15, 1" pieces.
- Take one strip of dough holding down one end; take the other end and swirl the strip to make a spiral. Then wrap spiral around clockwise to form a round shape.
- Attach another strip of dough to the end of the first swirl and repeat likewise pinching down the end of the dough to seal the swirl.
- Place swirls onto a lined baking sheet, then flatten the center of each swirl using your hands to make indents for the filling. Set aside.
- TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE FILLING: In a shallow bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Then add one egg yolk (reserving the whites for the egg wash) and powdered sugar and beat until smooth and silky.
- TO MAKE EGG WASH: Combine the reserved egg white, 1 whole egg and water.
- Brush pastries with egg wash and fill each center with desired filling.
- NOTE: Fill the cheese danishes with only 1 tbsp of filling and cover during baking. Once baked trim off any browned surfaces and top with remaining cheese filling, while still hot for white silky cheese tops as the cheese tends to brown easily.
- Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until golden.
- TO MAKE GLAZE: stir together the powdered sugar and water until smooth.
- Drizzle glaze over warm danishes and allow to cool before serving.