These simple Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danishes get some help from premade puff pastry and are filled with homemade pumpkin and cream cheese fillings!
Based off of our Apple Cream Cheese Danishes, these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danishes combine golden, flaky pastry with homemade fillings to create a treat that you’ll want to eat for more than just breakfast!
To make things a bit easier, we started with premade puff pastry. Feel free to go ahead and make your own, but this recipe is all about being simple and uncomplicated. Sometimes the easy way is the way to go!
A lightly sweetened cream cheese layer with a hint of vanilla adds a creamy tanginess that blends perfectly with the pumpkin layer.
We wanted a pumpkin filling that had a lot of flavor and that wouldn’t get lost to the cream cheese flavor, so we added all of the warm, cozy spices you would expect to find in pumpkin pie into the filling. This gave a lot of good pumpkin flavor in each bite!
Topping it all off is a simple confectioner’s sugar drizzle that ties it all together and makes it hard to stopping eating at just one!
How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danishes
Don’t let the long list of ingredients and instructions scare you! These danishes are really quite simple to make and only require simple ingredients.
Start by making sure that your puff pastry is thawed according to the package instructions. If the puff pastry isn’t thawed or if it’s too warm, you won’t get the same rise and flakiness.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!), brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and egg until mixture is smooth and the egg is thoroughly incorporated. Set aside while you make the cream cheese filling.
In another small bowl, if using an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Set aside.
Roll out puff pastry on a very lightly floured surface until it is 11-12 inches long and about 9-10 inches wide. It doesn’t have to be exact. This recipe is all about being easy!
Divide the pastry equally in half length-wise. You will end up with 4 strips of puff pastry.
Take each strip and divide each width-wise into 3 equal pieces. You will now have 12 rectangles.
Lightly score a border around each rectangle approximately 1/2 inch from the edge. Once again, you don’t have to be precise. Try not to pierce the pastry all the way through.
Take a fork and pierce the inside rectangle multiple times. Don’t skip this step as this will keep the center from puffing and the filling from running out!
Fill each center with a rounded Tablespoon of cream cheese filling. Spread the cream cheese mixture so that it covers the inside rectangle. Try not to allow the mixture to go over the border.
Take the pumpkin mixture, and top each center with a Tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture. Spread over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
If you have them, you can use a 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie scoop for the cream cheese filling and a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop for the pumpkin filling to make the portioning easier.
Whisk together the egg and water. Brush around the edges of the puff pastry.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time for even baking.
Remove the baking sheets to a wire rack.
Whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and milk until smooth in a small bowl. Add additional milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
Drizzle the glaze over the warm danishes. Allow the glaze to harden, and serve.
These are best eaten in 1-2 days.
If you have any left, the danishes will retain optimal freshness if stored in the refrigerator. Allow the danishes to come to room temperature before serving.
Tips for Success
- Make sure your puff pastry is completely thawed. Also, make sure your puff pastry isn’t too warm that it’s sticky. Follow the instructions on the package for optimal results.
- Don’t skip the step of scoring the puff pastry before putting on the toppings. If you don’t, the center will puff and your filling will run out all over your pan.
- Don’t have the individual spices listed? Substitute the individual spices for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
- You can easily halve this recipe if you only want 6 danishes. Still use one egg for filling and for the egg wash.
Love baking with pumpkin? Try these pumpkin recipes!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danishes
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Filling
- 3/4 Cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 egg
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces of cream cheese or 1/3 of the fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 Cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Danish
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
For the Glaze, optional
- 3/4 Cup confectioner's sugar
- 3-4 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and egg until smooth and egg is thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl if using an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy.
- On a very lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry an approximate 12" x 9" inch rectangle. It's okay if you're off by an inch or so, it doesn't have to be super precise.
- Divide the pastry equally in half length-wise. You will end up with four strips. Take each strip, and divide each width-wise into 3 equal pieces. You will now have 12 rectangles.
- Lightly score a border around each rectangle approximately 1/2 inch from the edge. Try not to pierce the pastry all the way through. Take a fork and pierce the inside rectangle multiple times. This will keep the center from puffing and the filling from running out.
- Fill each center with a rounded Tablespoon of cream cheese filling. Spread the cream cheese mixture so that it covers the inside rectangle. Try not to allow the mixture to go over the border.
- Take the pumpkin mixture and top each center with a Tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture. Spread over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Whisk together the egg and water. Brush around the edges of the puff pastry.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time for even baking.
- Remove the baking sheets to a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and milk until smooth. Add additional milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over the warm danishes. Allow the glaze to harden and serve.
- Best eaten in 1-2 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 179Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 94mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and may not always be accurate. Nutrition values can vary greatly based on brand used. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
