Cheese Danishes

Name: Cheese Danishes
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 sheets (1 package) Store-bought puff pastry; 4 oz Cream cheese, softened; ¼ cup Granulated sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla paste; 1 tsp Lemon juice; 1 tsp Orange zest; ½ tsp Cinnamon; ⅛ tsp Salt; 1 Egg; 1 tbsp Water

Inspired by Olivia’s cheese danishesCited by 2 users

Bakery-style cheese danishes made easy with store-bought puff pastry and a bright orange-cinnamon filling. Make them yours with Vini by Vinst.

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Less than an hour6 servings

Vegetarian

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Cheese danishes with golden puff pastry edges and a creamy orange-zest filling, piled on a white plate

By Mor Beja · Tested in the Vinst Kitchen

Published November 1, 2026

Introduction

Inspired by the wonderful Olivia’s cheese danishes, we followed our own cravings a bit further - a bright hit of orange zest woven into the cream cheese, and a dusting of cinnamon that warms the filling right as the citrus fades. The result is a creamy, citrus-bright filling wrapped in shatter-crisp pastry that tastes like breakfast and dessert all at once. Want to put your own spin on it? Use Vini to make this recipe yours, and share it with the people you love.

The Smell of Saturday Morning

There’s a kind of Saturday morning that doesn’t come around often. Nobody has to be anywhere, the coffee is still hot, and someone wanders into the kitchen in their socks asking what smells so good. These danishes were made for that morning.

We found that morning in Olivia’s cheese danishes. She showed how little it takes: store-bought puff pastry, sweet cream cheese and fifteen minutes in the oven. We took her idea one step further. Orange zest cuts through the richness of the cream cheese and a pinch of cinnamon warms it, so the whole house smells like oranges and spice while they bake.

That’s how good recipes travel. Olivia inspired us, and now it’s your turn. Serve them warm, make them your way with Vini, and pass them on.

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How to Make Cheese Danishes

Smooth cream cheese filling in a glass bowl with a whisk resting in it — Image 1: Cream cheese filling whisked smooth in a glass bowl.

Mix the filling

Look for a smooth filling with no lumps of cream cheese, thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. Lumpy? The cream cheese was too cold. Let it sit a few minutes and whisk again.

Puff pastry on a wooden board, cut into rectangles and scored with an inner border — Image 2: Puff pastry cut into rectangles, each with a scored inner border.

Cut and score the pastry

Each rectangle should have a clear inner line about half an inch from the edge, deep enough to see but not through the bottom. That border is what puffs up.

Scored puff pastry rectangles on a parchment-lined tray, borders shiny with egg wash — Image 3: Scored pastry with only the border brushed with egg wash.

Brush the edges

Only the border should look shiny. Keep the egg wash off the cut sides so the layers can rise.

Baked cheese danishes with puffed, deep golden edges and a set cream cheese filling on a white plate — Image 4: Baked danishes with a puffed, golden border and a set filling.

Fill and bake

They’re done when the border is puffed and deep golden and the filling looks set, not wet.

Cheese Danishes

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For the pastry

Store-bought puff pastry2 sheets (1 package)

For the filling

Cream cheese, softened4 oz
Granulated sugar¼ cup
Vanilla paste1 tsp
Lemon juice1 tsp
Orange zest1 tsp
Cinnamon½ tsp
Salt⅛ tsp

For the egg wash

Egg1
Water1 tbsp

Step 1: Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar smooth with a whisk in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir in the vanilla paste, lemon juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3: Unroll the pastry and cut it into 6 rectangles.
Step 4: Score a smaller rectangle inside each one, without cutting through.
Step 5: Line a baking tray with parchment. Space the pastries an inch apart.
Step 6: Whisk the egg with the water, then brush it over the pastry edges.
Step 7: Heat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
Step 8: Spoon the filling into the center of each.
Step 9: Bake for 15 minutes.

Tips from our kitchen

Keep the pastry cold.
Warm pastry gets sticky and doesn’t puff as much. If it softens while you work, put the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Don’t overfill.
About 2 tablespoons per danish is plenty. Extra filling spills over in the oven.
Watch the color, not just the clock.
Every oven is different. Take them out when the edges are deep golden.

FAQs

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. Bake them, let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. Warm them in the oven for a few minutes before serving to bring the pastry back to crisp.

Why did my filling leak out while baking?

Usually the pastry was too warm, or the edges weren't sealed well. Keep the pastry cold until it goes in the oven, leave a clear border around the filling, and press the edges firmly. A little less filling per danish helps too.

Can I use a different cheese or flavour?

Yes. Use another soft, spreadable cheese, or swap the orange for lemon zest. Keep the amount of filling about the same so the danishes still close and puff properly.

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Cheese Danishes

Introduction