Lemon Danishes
These lemon danishes are so tasty AND so easy to make. You have to try them!
I always thought that danishes were outside my wheelhouse because of the fancy pastry base, but this recipe calls for frozen pastry puff sheets, meaning I didn’t have to make the base (and risk messing it up). The topping, lemon curd, is also from a jar, which makes these lemon danishes look and taste professional, but takes far less time and effort than you might think.
There are still several stages of preparing the danishes, so make sure you give yourself enough time if you are making these for a party or family gathering.
Ingredients for Lemon Danishes
Below, you’ll find the ingredients needed for the recipe, along with a few links to the items on Amazon (via Whole Foods). If you don’t have a Whole Foods nearby, you should be able to easily find these ingredients in your regular grocery store.
(These are affiliate links, which play a part in helping us provide great content on Love These Recipes and our sister sites, Only Passionate Curiosity, Hip Homeschool Moms, and Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers).
- 1 box (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 jar lemon curd
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
How to Make the Lemon Danishes
Before starting to make your lemon danishes, preheat the oven to 400F.
Step One:
Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
Step Two:
Use the knife to score a ½ inch border around each rectangle (only cut about ½ way down into the dough). This will allow the outside ½ inch border to puff up while baking and the middle to stay flatter.
Step Three:
Use a fork to prick several areas around the middle of each rectangle of pastry. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
Step Four:
Place the pastries onto one large or two medium baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
Step Five:
In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
Step Six:
Scoop the mixture onto the pastries and spread out evenly over the center area, but not onto the ½ inch border.
Step Seven:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the ½ inch border of each pastry.
Step Eight:
Bake the pastries at 400F for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack.
Step Nine:
While the lemon danishes are still warm, add a dollop of lemon curd to the center of each pastry and spread out just enough to cover the cream cheese layer.
Step Ten:
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Step Eleven:
Drizzle the frosting over the cooled lemon danishes.
Lemon Danishes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 box (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 jar lemon curd
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
- Use the knife to score a ½ inch border around each rectangle (only cut about ½ way down into the dough). This will allow the outside ½ inch border to puff up while baking and the middle to stay flatter.
- Use a fork to prick several areas around the middle of each rectangle of pastry. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
- Place the pastries onto one large or two medium baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
- Scoop the mixture onto the pastries and spread out evenly over the center area, but not onto the ½ inch border.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the ½ inch border of each pastry.
- Bake the pastries at 400F for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack.
- While the pastries are still warm, add a dollop of lemon curd to the center of each pastry and spread out just enough to cover the cream cheese layer.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Drizzle the frosting over the cooled pastries.
Notes
- For more lemon flavor, add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest to the cream cheese filling. Some fresh lemon juice can also be added if desired.
- The pastries should be stored in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to five days. They can be reheated in the microwave on high for 10-20 seconds.
