Chocolate Chip Danish Recipe
This Chocolate Chip Danish Recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. The flaky pastry, sweet chocolate chips, and creamy cheesy filling make for a delicious treat.
We love pastries for breakfast, but sometimes we want something a little more special than the usual croissant or muffin. That’s why this chocolate chip Danish is one of our go-to recipes when we want to switch things up.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The recipe offers the homemade taste you love without the hours of work, thanks to pre-made pastry dough.
- Whether it’s a holiday, a family brunch, or just an average weekday, this Danish feels special every time.
- Plus, it’s a surefire crowd-pleaser for brunch gatherings and pairs wonderfully with your morning coffee or tea.
🛒Ingredients
You will need a few simple ingredients to help you make this delicious recipe. Gather these ingredients on your next trip to the grocery store so you can enjoy this homemade breakfast pastry recipe.
- puff pastry
- cream cheese
- granulated sugar
- milk or heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini or regular)
- egg
- water
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make This Chocolate Chip Danish Recipe
Making these delicious chocolate and cheese danishes is so simple. Just follow the step-by-step instructions and enjoy this delicious breakfast treat with your family in no time at all.
Step 1: Cut the puff pastry
Unfold the puff pastry sheets and lay them out on a flat surface. Use a knife to cut along the fold marks to create three equal-sized strips. Cut each strip in half to make a total of 12 rectangles. Arrange the puff pastry rectangles on a large, ungreased cookie sheet leaving at least 1 inch of space between each rectangle.
Step 2: Poke holes in the pastry
With a paring knife, lightly score a border around the entire edge of each pastry rectangle, about ½ inch away from the edge. Use a fork to poke a few holes into the center area of each pastry. This process allows the outside border to rise and puff up while the center stays shorter and holds the filling.
Step 3: Make the cream cheese filling
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk/cream, and vanilla extract. Spoon equal amounts of the filling into the center of each pastry rectangle. Spread it onto the dough within the inside border.
Step 4: Finish the danishes
Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips on top of the cream cheese mixture. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of the egg wash to the outside border of each pastry. Discard any leftover egg mixture.
Step 5: Bake and cool
Bake the pastries at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for 18 minutes, until the danishes are golden brown. Cool the danishes on a baking rack for 10 minutes.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- For a fruity twist, try adding a spoonful of your favorite jam or fresh fruit on top of the cream cheese mixture before baking. Blueberry, raspberry, or apricot jams are all delicious options that complement the chocolate chips.
- If you have a nutty side, consider adding a sprinkle of slivered almonds or chopped pecans along with the chocolate chips for added texture and flavor.
If you are looking for another simple and easy breakfast recipe check out this Donut Holes from Biscuits recipe.
🥄 Equipment
You will need a few kitchen tools to help you make these chocolate chip pastries!
- baking sheet
- knife or pizza cut
- medium bowl
- small bowl
- pastry brush
🥫 Storage
Store the cream cheese danishes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month.
Serve With
These danishes are delicious on their own but here are some suggestions for adding even more flavor to your breakfast treat:
- A cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea.
- A side of fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas.
- A dollop of whipped cream.
You could also pair them with a protein source like this Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole with Sausage.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that we used to ensure that these pastries turned out perfectly for us when we made them.
- Allow your puff pastry to thaw completely before beginning your recipe to ensure it rolls out easily and doesn’t crack.
- When poking holes in the pastry, don’t go all the way through; just prick it enough to create a texture for the filling to rest on.
- Be careful not to overfill the pastries; too much filling can prevent the pastries from rising properly and may cause them to leak.
- If you want your Danishes to have a little shine, you can brush the top with milk instead of an egg wash.
- It’s important to let them cool slightly after baking; they set better and will hold their shape when moving them to a rack or platter.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes, you can either fully bake and then reheat them in the oven for a few minutes before serving or prepare them up to the point of baking and then refrigerate overnight. Add a few minutes to the baking time if you’re starting from the refrigerator.
The pastries should be puffed and golden brown on the top and bottom. The cream cheese should be set, and not jiggling, when you move the pan.
To reheat the danishes, place them on a baking sheet and warm them in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes or until they are heated through. You can also use a microwave, but be cautious as it can make the pastry soggy. Heat in short intervals of 10-15 seconds to avoid overheating the cream cheese filling.
🍽 More Chocolate Chip Recipes
Do you enjoy chocolate chip recipes? If so, give these recipes a try:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Chocolate Chip Danish Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- knife or pizza cut
- medium bowl
- small bowl
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 17.3 ounces puff pastry thawed according to package directions
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips mini or regular
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Unfold the puff pastry sheets and lay out on a flat surface. Use a knife to cut along the fold marks to create three equal sized strips. Cut each strip in half to make a total of 12 rectangles.
- Arrange the puff pastry rectangles on a large, ungreased cookie sheet leaving at least 1 inch of space between each rectangle.
- With a paring knife, lightly score a border around the entire edge of each pastry rectangle, about ½ inch away from the edge. Use a fork to poke a few holes into the center area of each pastry. This process allows the outside border to rise and puff up while the center stays shorter and holds the filling.
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk/cream, and vanilla extract. Spoon equal amounts of the filling into the center of each pastry rectangle. Spread it onto the dough within the inside border.
- Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of the egg wash to the outside border of each pastry. Discard any leftover egg mixture.
- Bake the pastries at 400 for 18 minutes, until the danishes are golden brown. Cool the danishes on a baking rack for 10 minutes.
