Eggless Cream Cheese Danish

Fresh bakery pastries are one of my favorite weekend treats, but traditional recipes almost always rely on eggs in the filling.

That is why I created this simple eggless cream cheese danish. It gives you the same flaky crust and rich flavor without using any eggs at all.

Instead of an egg yolk to bind the center, a little cornstarch keeps the cream cheese smooth, thick, and creamy as it bakes.

This is a wonderful option if you can not eat eggs, cook for someone with an allergy, or just ran out of eggs at home.

With ready-made puff pastry and a spoonful of sweet jam, you can have warm pastries ready on your table in under thirty minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

Bakery Quality at Home – Store-bought puff pastry bakes into ultra-flaky, golden layers that look and taste like they came from a fancy bakery.

No Eggs Needed – Cornstarch sets the cream cheese center beautifully, giving you a rich, thick filling without using any eggs.

Bright Berry Swirl – Sweet raspberry jam adds a lovely pop of color and tart fruit flavor to every single bite.

Crisp and Creamy Texture – The contrast between the crunchy, shattered pastry edges and the smooth cheesecake center is completely irresistible.

Ingredient List

For the Danish

• 2 sheets Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed
• 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
• 1/4 cup Raspberry Jam

For the Filling

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Zest

For the Glaze

• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tbsp Milk

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest with a hand mixer for about 1 minute, until completely smooth.

The cornstarch replaces the egg yolk usually found in danish filling and helps it bake up thick and creamy instead of runny.

Step 3

Unfold the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface and gently roll each one to smooth out the creases. Cut each sheet into 4 equal squares and arrange them on the baking sheets.

Step 4

Lightly score a 1/2-inch border around the edge of each square without cutting all the way through. Prick the center of each square several times with a fork so it stays flat while the edges puff.

Step 5

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each square and top with a heaping teaspoon of raspberry jam. Brush the borders with heavy cream for a golden, glossy finish.

Step 6

Bake for 16-20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown. Let the danishes cool on the sheets for 10 minutes.

Step 7

Whisk the powdered sugar and milk into a smooth glaze and drizzle it over the warm danishes before serving.

Tips

Keep the Pastry Cold

If your puff pastry gets too warm and soft while you work, the butter layers will melt together. You will lose all those flaky, crisp layers that make a danish so light.

From my experience, popping the shaped pastry squares into the fridge for 10 minutes before adding the filling makes a huge difference. The cold dough puffs up much higher when it hits the hot oven.

Use Block Cream Cheese

You’ll get the best results if you use full-fat brick cream cheese rather than the spreadable kind from a tub. Tub varieties have extra water whipped in that can make this eggless filling turn runny during baking.

Soften the block on the counter for about 30 minutes so it blends smoothly without any lumps. Cold cream cheese is tough to mix and will leave tiny white clumps in your filling.

Score and Dock the Dough

When you mark the border around each square, only press down halfway into the dough. If you cut all the way through, the sides will separate and the filling will leak out onto the pan.

I recommend pricking the center thoroughly with a fork at least six to eight times. This keeps the middle flat so your cream cheese stays contained while the borders rise.

Try These Next

• Eggless Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
• Eggless Chocolate Babka
• Eggless Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
• Eggless Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
• Eggless Portuguese Custard Tarts

Questions You Might Have

Why do I need to use cornstarch in the cream cheese filling?

Since this is an eggless recipe, cornstarch acts as the stabilizer that replaces the traditional egg yolk.

It keeps the cream cheese mixture thick and rich during baking so it sets smoothly instead of turning runny in the oven.