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This recipe makes a dozen chocolate chip cream cheese danishes, the shortcut version of a coffee shop classic: puff pastries with scored borders that rise and bake up golden, a lightly sweet vanilla cream cheese filling, with a smattering of mini semi-sweet chips that soften but keep their shape.
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Tips to make Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Danishes
Tools you’ll need
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions. Gather the rest of the ingredients. Keep the dough chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to cut it.
Step 2: On a clean, flat surface, gently unfold the puff pastry sheets. Cut along the fold marks to create three equal strips per sheet, then cut each strip in half for a total of 12 rectangles.
Step 3: Arrange the pastry rectangles on a large, ungreased cookie sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between them.
Step 4: With a paring knife, lightly score a border around each rectangle about 1/2 inch from the edge without letting piercing all the way through the dough. Then poke a few holes in each center with a fork. This will create a “well” in the middle to hold the filling.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon equal amounts into the center of each rectangle and spread it to the inside border.
Step 6: Scatter the semi-sweet mini chocolate chips evenly over the cream cheese filling, avoiding the edges. Set aside.
Step 7: In a small bowl: Beat the egg and water with a fork. With a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of this egg wash on the outside border of each pastry, then discard the rest. This will create a golden shine on the finished pastry.
Step 8: Bake the pastries at 400 F for 18 minutes, until the danishes are puffed and golden brown. Cool them on a baking rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Tools and Equipment
- Large cookie sheet, ungreased
- Paring knife for cutting and scoring the pastry
- Fork for docking the centers
- Small mixing bowls for the filling and egg wash
- Pastry brush for the egg wash
- Wire cooling rack
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Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Danishes
Ingredients
- 17.3 oz puff pastry two sheets, thawed according to package directions
- 8 oz cream cheese 1 package, softened to room temperature
- 3 T granulated sugar
- 1 T milk or heavy cream
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips mini or regular
- 1 egg
- 2 T water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Unfold the puff pastry sheets and lay them out on a clean, dry, flat surface. Cut along the fold marks to create three equal strips, then cut each strip in half to make 12 rectangles total.
- Arrange the rectangles on a large, ungreased cookie sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between them since they will spread a bit.
- With a paring knife, lightly score (but not pierce all the way through the dough) a border around each rectangle about 1/2 inch from the edge. Poke a few holes in the center of each pastry with a fork.
- In a small bowl, combine the soft cream cheese, sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla. Spoon equal amounts onto the center of each rectangle and spread within the border.
- Scatter the chocolate chips on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Beat the egg and water together. With a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of egg wash on the border of each pastry. There will be leftover egg wash.
- Bake at 400 F for 18 minutes, until the danishes are golden brown. Let sit for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack for 10 mins.
Notes
Nutrition
The bottom line
With crisp puff pastry, tangy vanilla cream cheese, and melty mini chips, these chocolate chip cream cheese danishes will have everyone craving them come the weekend. They reheat really well too, so make the whole batch, and reheat one or two at a time.
For easy brunch recipes to appeal to the whole crowd, here are even more danish recipes to choose from:
