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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

I started making these pumpkin cream cheese danish the first weekend the air turned crisp, and now I can't imagine fall without them. I love that they come together with store-bought puff pastry, so I get that bakery-style flaky texture without spending my whole morning in the kitchen.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed — the base of the danish, thawing it properly keeps the layers from tearing
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened — softened cheese blends smoother so you don't end up with lumps
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin puree — use plain canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling, since that already has added sugar and spice
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar divided — half goes into the pumpkin filling, half into the cream cheese layer
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice — this is what gives the filling that warm cozy fall flavor
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract — adds depth to the cream cheese layer without overpowering the pumpkin
  • 1 large egg beaten — used as an egg wash for that shiny, golden finish on top
  • ½ cup powdered sugar — for the glaze sift it if it's clumpy so the drizzle turns out smooth
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk — thins the glaze to the right pourable consistency

Method
 

  1. In one small bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, half the sugar, and the vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir the pumpkin puree together with the remaining sugar and the pumpkin pie spice until fully combined.
  2. Lightly roll out your thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured surface just to smooth any fold lines. Slice it into 12 even rectangles or squares using a sharp knife, keeping the pieces roughly uniform so they bake evenly.
  3. Score a smaller rectangle within each piece of pastry, leaving a half-inch border you won't fill. Spoon a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the center, then top it with a bit of the pumpkin filling, gently swirling the two together with a toothpick.
  4. Brush the exposed border of each pastry with the beaten egg for that golden, glossy finish. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are puffed and deeply golden brown.
  5. Let the danish cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet before glazing, since a hot pastry will melt the glaze right off. Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk, then drizzle it generously over each danish before serving.

Notes

  • I always keep my puff pastry chilled until right before I cut it, since warm dough loses its flaky layers in the oven.
  • I use full-fat cream cheese instead of the light version, because it holds its shape better once baked.
  • I score the border first before adding any filling, which keeps my edges from getting messy.
  • I let my danish cool before glazing, otherwise the glaze just slides right off the warm pastry.
  • I double the batch whenever I'm hosting brunch, since these disappear faster than anything else on the table.