Easy Vegan Cream Cheese Danish with Puff Pastry

This easy vegan cream cheese Danish recipe is super easy to make. Using a quick and simple cream cheese filling and frozen puff pastry, these pastries are a perfect treat to add to your vegan brunch or breakfast.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

These creamy, flaky, and sweet vegan cream cheese Danish pastries are ready in under 30 minutes and taste like they’re fresh from the bakery.  If you grew up enjoying toaster strudel, you’ll certainly love these.

Ingredients to Make Vegan Cream Cheese Danish:

• Puff Pastry: I used store-bought frozen puff pastry sheets. Vegan puff pastry isn’t usually hard to find, but you’ll just want to be sure to check the ingredients.
• Vegan Cream Cheese: I like to use Kite Hill cream cheese, but feel free to use the brand of your choice, like Tofutti cream cheese or Miyoko’s.
• Granulated Sugar: to sweeten and balance the tartness of the vegan cream cheese. Remember to use organic sugar to ensure that it is vegan.
• Vanilla Extract: to add warmth and depth.

Vegan Egg Wash

• Melted Butter: I like to use salted vegan butter to balance out the sweetness.
• Agave or Maple Syrup: this will carmelize while the pastries are baking to achieve perfectly golden brown edges.

Icing (optional)

• Powdered Sugar: again, be sure to use organic powdered sugar to ensure that it is vegan. 
• Vegan Milk or Lemon Juice:  I always have vegan milk on hand, so that’s what I used for this recipe, but I’d recommend using lemon juice if you want your icing to be a little less sweet.

How to Make Vegan Cream Cheese Danish:

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉.
2. Mix together the vegan cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract with a rubber spatula or whisk until smooth. 
3. Make the vegan egg wash by mixing together the melted butter and agave or maple syrup until combined and set it aside.
4. Unfold the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and gently roll it out using a rolling pin until the creases disappear. This should only take a few rolls in each direction (vertical and horizontal).
5. Cut the pastry into six equal rectangles using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
6. Transfer the pastry rectangles to a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
7. Using a sharp paring knife, lightly score a ¼ inch border around the perimeter of each pastry. Avoid cutting all the way through the dough.
8. Brush the borders of the puff pastry with a layer of vegan egg wash.
9. Scoop and spread about one tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of each pastry within the scored borders. Adjust the amount of filling as needed to be sure to use it all.
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the danishes are flaky and golden brown.
11. Drizzle with the icing while the cream cheese danishes are still warm.
12. Allow to cool before serving.

Icing Topping:

1. Mix together the powdered sugar and vegan milk or lemon juice until smooth, it should resemble liquid glue.
2. If the mixture is too thick, add a few more drops of your chosen liquid or if it is too thin add more powdered sugar until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

How to Store Your Cream Cheese Danish:

It’s best to enjoy these fresh and warm from the oven but if you have extras left over, they can be stored in an air-tight container or storage bag at room temperature for up to 2 days.  They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but I’ve found they become soggy when stored this way, so I don’t recommend cold storage if this is an issue for you.

How to Reheat Your Pastries:

You can reheat your cream cheese Danish in the oven at 350℉ for about 3-5 minutes or in a toaster oven until they are warm and crispy again, I would recommend keeping a close eye on them in the toaster oven.

Additional Fillings & Toppings:

• Fruit jam or marmalade
• Fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries
• Vegan chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella), chocolate chips, or squares.
• Flavored cream cheeses, like blueberry cream cheese or strawberry cream cheese (*note you may have to adjust the sugar, as these tend to already be sweetened)

More Vegan Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:

• The Best Vegan Strawberry Croissants (Cream Pan Copycat)
• The Best and Easiest Vegan Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière)
• Easy & Unbelievably Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Moist & Fluffy)

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