This recipe starts with a story. A cream cheese danish story. 

Every summer, I would spend a week with my grandparents in Tulsa. My Nana would always take me to the library, to the beauty parlor, and to bingo. One morning, Nana and Papa took me to McDonald's for breakfast. Back then, McDonald's sold cream cheese danishes (in styrofoam boxes)! I just could not decide between an Egg McMuffin or a Cream Cheese Danish. These are big decisions. My sweet Papa let me ORDER BOTH!

OK...that was more of an "I love my Nana and Papa" story than a cream cheese danish story, but I think about it every single time I eat a cream cheese danish. ♥

You will not believe how simple this recipe is. Really, truly. If you have frozen puff pastry and cream cheese, you're 80% there. There's a little folding technique to make the circle shape...it's so fun!

Originally created for The Pioneer Woman Food & Friends.

Cream Cheese Danish

 YIELD: 8

INACTIVE PREP TIME: 40 minutes

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

BAKE TIME: 18 minutes

1 (17.3-ounce) package puff pastry sheets

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

egg yolk

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

pinch fine sea salt

Remove puff pastry sheets from the freezer and packaging. Place on counter to thaw for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, let cream cheese and eggs come to room temperature. Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Set oven rack to the middle and upper third of the oven. Preheat oven to 400.

In the last 5 minutes of the pastry thawing time, make the cream cheese mixture. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and extracts on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape bottom and sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until completely smooth.

Roll the puff pastry sheets lightly to smooth the fold lines. Use a pizza or pastry cutter to cut each sheet into four squares. Place 4 squares on each baking sheet.

Whisk the egg, water, and salt together. Brush egg wash onto the border of each square. Fold in the corners of the squares. Dollop 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of each pastry. Brush any exposed pastry dough with the egg wash.

Bake for 18 minutes, rotating the sheets at around 10 minutes.

Remove from cookie sheets onto wire racks Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. The centers will deflate slightly as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.