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Easy Cheese Danish

Searching for a delightful pastry to enhance your breakfast or brunch? This Easy Cheese Danish recipe is just what you need.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 danishes 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 12 tablespoons lemon curd or raspberry preserves
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
  • 4–5 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This keeps cleanup a breeze and helps prevent sticking.
  2. Shape the Dough: Lightly flour your hands. Flatten each thawed (but still cold) dinner roll into a 3-inch disc and space them evenly on the prepared sheets.
  3. Butter & Sugar: Brush each disc with melted butter, then sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. This gives a golden, slightly crisp base.
  4. Rise: Loosely cover the trays with a clean kitchen towel or lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until puffed and doubled in size, about 50 minutes. Tip: turning on your oven light (but not the heat) creates a cozy rising environment.
  5. Make the Filling: While dough is rising, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon juice together until silky smooth. Set aside.
  6. Create the Center: Once the dough has risen, gently press a well into the center of each roll using your fingers or the back of a spoon.
  7. Fill & Top: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into each indentation, then dollop 1 teaspoon of lemon curd or raspberry preserves on top.
  8. Egg Wash: Brush the outer edges of the rolls with the beaten egg. This helps them bake up golden and shiny.
  9. Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown and the filling is set.
  10. Cool Slightly: Let the danishes cool on the pans for 5 minutes before glazing.
  11. Make the Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of milk. Add the extra tablespoon of milk if needed to thin. The glaze should be smooth and pourable but not runny.
  12. Drizzle & Enjoy: Drizzle icing over warm danishes and serve! They’re delightful warm or at room temp.

Notes

  • Good ingredients matter! Even for simple recipes, fresh and quality ingredients make a big flavor difference.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment! Feel free to tweak the recipe to your own taste. You’ll learn and find what you like best as you go.
  • Make it pretty! You can add a little extra with lemon zest, sliced almonds, or fresh berries on top of the glaze.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes

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