This Lemon Cream Cheese Pastry is everything a great pastry should be and you can make it at home in about 30 minutes. Using store bought ingredients, this impressive breakfast (or dessert) pastry has a flaky puff pastry shell, with a rich cream cheese filling, a bright lemon curd, and a simple vanilla glaze.
Table of contents
Keep it simple, or go the extra mile and make homemade puff pastry and lemon curd from scratch!
Some of our other favorite cream cheese treats are:
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Puff Pastry Sheets - This recipe calls for store-bought puff pastry. Pepperidge Farms puff pastry is one of the most popular brands and can be found in the freezer section at the grocery store. Thaw before using so it doesn't crack while you are working with it.
- Cream Cheese - This is the base of the filling. It must be softened to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly and will leave lumps in your filling.
- Egg and Water - The egg is mixed with the water to brush around the edges of the Danish. This will help make the beautiful golden brown color when they bake.
- Lemon Curd - Added after baking rather than before, which is key. Baking lemon curd directly in the oven can cause it to dry out or separate. Adding it while the pastries are still warm allows it to settle gently into the cream cheese layer, creating a creamy, layered bite. Store bought lemon curd works great, or use homemade lemon curd for an even brighter flavor.
Variations
Some simple variations to this recipe would be to omit the lemon curd for a Cream Cheese Danish. Or, in place of the lemon curd, try you favorite fruit jam or even pie filling! Blueberry, Cherry, Apple, etc.
If you are looking 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.
Step-by-step recipe directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
Place the pastries onto one large or two medium prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
Use a paring knife to create a half-inch border around each of the pastries. Only cut about half-way into the dough. This helps the sides puff up while baking.
Then, use a fork to prick several holes into the center of the dough. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
Scoop the cream cheese 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 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
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. Cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Drizzle the frosting over the cooled pastries.
Remove the pastries from the baking sheet. Serve.
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With flaky puff pastry and zesty lemon curd, this Lemon Cream Cheese Pastry is a delicious treat that can double as a breakfast pastry or easy dessert.
Recipe FAQ's
If you put the lemon curd in before baking, the heat of the oven will dry it out and you'll lose that fresh, bright lemon flavor that makes these so good. While the pastries are still warm, spoon the curd on then. The warmth softens it just enough to sink into the cream cheese layer underneath. It's one of those small steps that makes a big difference.
Scoring around the border tells the dough where to puff up, so you get those beautiful raised edges that hold all the filling in. Pricking the center lets the steam escape so the middle doesn't bubble up and push everything off. It takes an extra minute but it keeps these looking neat and pretty.
Make sure your cream cheese is softened but not melted. Set it out on the counter about 30 minutes before you start. If it goes into the oven too warm and soft, it'll thin right out. The just baked pastries may look just barely set in the middle, but they firm up as they cool.
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Complete Recipe
Lemon Cream Cheese Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 box 17.3 ounces Puff Pastry 2 sheets, thawed
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract divided
- 1 Egg
- 2 tablespoons Water
- 8 ounces Lemon Curd
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
- Lay the two sheets of thawed puff pastry out flat on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut each sheet into 6 rectangles, making 12 total rectangles.
- Place the pastries onto one large or two medium baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Use a paring knife to create a ½ inch border around each of the pastries. Only cut about half-way into the dough. This helps the sides puff up while baking.
- Then, use a fork to prick several holes into the center of the dough. This helps to keep the center from rising too much while baking.
- Scoop the cream cheese 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 400 degrees F 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. Cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Drizzle the frosting over the cooled pastries.
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