Simple Cheese Danish
These simple homemade cheese danishes are so easy, so elegant and so delicious. You’ve gotta try them right now!
I feel like I’ve been harping on quick, simple recipes and meals lately. Sorry if that offends your gourmet spirit.
I promise that fast food (I’m talking fast food like homecooked fast food, not fast food like dollar menu fast food) can taste delicious even if it is simple and quick to prepare.
Because of my latest fetish with easy recipes, I was thrilled beyond thrilled when out of the blue, America’s Test Kitchen sent me their newest cookbook, The Quick Family Cookbook, because the food in here is seriously talking my language.
No-fail is the word that comes to mind with ATK’s tested, tested, tested recipes and the wonder of this cookbook is that you get classically delicious America’s Test Kitchen recipes with minimal fuss, time and ingredients. Oh, I am in love with this book.
To show how great this book is, I should have made some stellar main course fare that will save your bacon on any given Tuesday night; however, I couldn’t resist these delicious cheese Danish pastries.
They are so easy, so elegant and so delicious, if you close your eyes while eating one, you might just believe you are smack dab on the bustling streets of Paris – oh wait, think of some city in Denmark! – eating an authentic pastry.
Not that I ever have had that experience, but take my word for it – these babies get the job done for a no-fuss pastry. Make them and love them.
Simple Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (9 1/2 by 9-inch)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside.
- Roll the pastry into a 12 by 9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured counter, making sure it doesn’t stick to the counter while rolling. Cut the rectangle into six 4 1/2 by 4-inch rectangles (cut it in half the long way and then cut each strip into thirds). Transfer the pastry rectangles to the baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Using the tip of a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around the edge of each pastry, then brush the borders with the egg wash (no fear – if you don’t have a pastry brush, using your fingers works just as well!). Prick the pastry with a fork every 1 inch or so within the border (see the picture below for a visual). Place a generous 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each pastry and spread it into an even layer leaving the border uncovered.
- Bake the pastries until fully puffed and golden about 12-14 minutes (watching carefully so they don’t overbrown). Serve the pastries warm or at room temperature.
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from America’s Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook
My Fannie Farmer cookbook – it tells me everything I need to know about cooking and baking and has some wonderful recipes too.
I love ATK cookbooks and Everyday Food 🙂
The most tattered cookbook in my collection is the Gourmet Cookbook. It may be huge and lack pictures, but it’s never steered me wrong!
Sadly, I don’t have a cookbook. I have a handful of recipes from my late mother and a few that are committed to memory. If I want to make something, I usually look it up online. I come to this site, sometimes Pioneer Woman, and of course, Pinterest 🙂 I absolutely LOVE ATK and Cook’s Country and I watch them faithfully. I would love to have one of their books! Thank you 🙂
I love cookbooks! I mostly find recipes on blogs now, but when I first started I used the Better Home and Gardens and Taste of Home cookbooks.
first, let me say i loooove your recipes and already tried about 20 of them. about the giveaway… well… i’m from Israel, so most of the cookbooks i use are in Hebrew, i assume you wouldn’t know them. still, my most used one is called (loosely translated) “a sure recipe” (in Hebrew this is wordplay since sure and safe are the same word).
I have a lot of cookbooks..I love them, but the one I alway return to is the one I got when I got married, Betty Crocker!
Most nights i cook out of a family cookbook my mom put together for everyone for Christmas two years ago.
My most-used cookbook is the one from my cooking class in college. Something about knowing that the recipes aren’t for trained chefs sure helps me out!
One of my favorite’s is a old church cookbook from my granny~ the other is a cookbook i put together with favorites from our friends & family~ i find more & more i go to the internet more than my bookshelf~ all great recipes!
My most used cookbook is The New Best Recipe! I absolutely adore America’s Test Kitchen, and would LOVE to win this giveaway!! Love your site – the recipes never disappoint!
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe! I am looking forward to trying it one morning really soon. As far as favorite cookbook: The Country Wife Cookbook is my favorite!
It is my favorite because it is a cookbook that I have built over many years (starting when our children were old enough to help with cooking meals about 30 years ago) and continues to the present, when I add new recipes.
I LOVE the Simple Recipe book by the ATK group. Quick, easy and tasty recipes. Our favorite is the Empanadas recipe. The danishes look great and I’ll definitely but this new book on my wish list!
My favorite is an old Betty Crocker red and white cookbook – over forty years old – but still a good book!
I love my Baking Illustrated cookbook. My husband would LOVE for me to make these cheese danishes… yum!
My favorite cookbook is a family collection from my sister’s in-laws!
I don’t think I could narrow it down. I have so many and love them all, but I do have to say our family cookbook is one I always use.
My favorite cookbook is the ATK Family Cookbook. I definitely want the Quick book!
I pull out my ATK & cooks illustrated (the big green ones that have every recipe from that year in them) daily.
I use my simple Better Homes and Gardens cookbook the most, but I have a feeling this cookbook would become a new staple in our home!
Your website is my cookbook! I know that anything I try will be wonderful:)
I have to say that one of my favorite cookbooks that I go to is a church cook book that my mom handed down to me. It’s one of those books that the church put together and then sold to raise money. Love it!
My most used cookbook is the one that I’ve compiled over the years. It has all of my favorite recipes. My second favorite place for recipes? Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, of course!!
My favorite recipe book is the one that my bridesmaids and female relatives created for me as a wedding present. It includes some classic family recipes as well as new ones for me to try! I love being able to think about the person who gave me the recipe as I prepare the dish.
My favorite is The Kimbell Cookbook (from a local art museum in Fort Worth). The museum has a cafe and I have found the best quiche recipe in this cookbook!!
I love Joy. You know, as in Joy of Cooking? I got it when I was married, and it’s walked me through steaks, perfect mashed potatoes, and even some of my favorite cake recipes! A real cornerstone!
The classic BHG.
Betty Crocker hands down!
I use the internet and save so many of my recipes in a binder system similar to your own. But when I need a trusty, reliable recipe I turn to my mother’s 1970 Betty Crocker cookbook – Betty never fails!
Before Mel’s kitchen cafe became my go to “cookbook” I often used my lion house cookbooks (classics and dessert editions). I have a hunch you will be a cookbook someday!!
I like my Better Homes and Garden Bridal Cookbook that I received as a wedding gift.
My most used, loved and cherished cookbook is the one I made of all of my grandmother’s recipes. After she passed away, my grandfather gave me her collection of yellowed index cards that had the recipes of the most incredible Italian dishes. I compiled with photos and stories and gave one to each family member. It’s still so great to see the index cards today with her handwriting. And some of the ingredients crack me up such as needing a 25 cent Hershey’s bar for cannoli filling. Um, where can I find that??
My favorite is ‘Joy of Cooking’ – it seriously has EVERYTHING you need to know about cooking and baking anything.
My favorite cookbooks are the two simple ones that my church published, Come & Dine and Come & Dine Again. They are full of tried, tested, and true recipes.
These look delicious! Love your blog!
I honestly have been using my favorite list of blogs (yours included) the most lately. However, I do love my original Americas Test Kitchen 🙂 SO excited for this book!!!
My slow cooker cookbook!
These look great and so easy! I love Ina Garten’s original cookbook and often reference The Joy of Cooking. I love cookbooks…
I use “Desperation Dinners” all the time because I am lazy like that and don’t have time to cook much anymore. But I would still love to win a cookbook – who am I kidding though? I never win anything! 🙂 Thanks for chatting with me yesterday and helping me out with my silhouette. I love you!
My favorite cookbook is my Better Homes New Cookbook, Bridal Edition. I got it as a wedding shower gift and it makes me think of my wedding and my good friend each time I use it. It’s got great tried and true recipies that are easy to use.
Hi Mel – First off, I have to say that I absolutely ADORE cheese danishes…like more than anyone probably should…so I will definitely be giving these a try in the near future. I have to say my most used cookbook is a toss-up between my Cuisine at Home magazines or my ATK Baking cookbook – love that thing!! I too am a big fan of the no-fail recipes that ATK puts out. Love their show on PBS too. It’s awesome!! Thanks for the giveaway chance!
A Reader’s Digest cookbook I got for our wedding 17 years ago!
My favorite cook book is the one I just organized (thanks to your great advice) with tried and true favorite family recipes.
My current favorite is “The Best Recipe” from America’s Test Kitchens. I’ve even managed to decorate it with a red wine stain, (entertainingly enough, the stain starts on a recipe that does not call for wine).
Though I would like to add that “Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day” is running a close second.
I don’t really have a go-to cookbook. My family loves ATK! We watch them on PBS on Sat afternoon…my kids love to watch too. Ive been thinking about purchasing one of their cookbooks but with 4 kids who all play soccer at the same time and I work part-time, there isn’t much time for elaborate meals. This would be perfect for my family! ATK, has the most amazing recipe for monkey bread!
My mother’s old, tattered, stained collection of recipes! I now have my own to pass along.
The good ‘ole red and white checkered BHG cookbook, calling my mom, and now this blog along with a few others. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
The cookbook I use most is the Our Best Bites cookbook, otherwise all my recipes are ones my mom gave me at some point or got off pinterest.
Those look so yummy! My most used cookbook is probably the good ol’ Better Homes and Garden’s book. You know the one, I think we all have it, with the red gingham cover.
Does Pinterest count? Because I only learned to cook in the last couple of years, and that’s where almost all of my recipes come from, with like half of them coming from here. : )