Lemon Danish

Lemon Danish is a flaky Danish made with store-bought puff pastry, homemade lemon curd, and topped with lemon icing.

The Danish is made with store-bought puffed pastry which gives the pastries a flaky texture. The lemon curd is made with just four ingredients.

You will love how simple this recipe is to make. Make it for a weekend breakfast or brunch. They are best if you eat them while they are fresh.

Helpful Tips

• Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the lemon curd for the best flavor.
• If you like you can use store-bought lemon pie filling for this recipe if you are in a hurry.
• The puff pastry needs to be completely thawed before making the Danish.
• If the puff pasty cracks when unfolding it, sprinkle it with water and press the edges together.
• Cool the Danish completely before topping with the icing.
• The Danish are best when fresh. But they can be frozen. Place in an airtight container to freeze
• To unthaw the Danish remove it from the freezer and set it on the counter.

Ingredients needed

For the lemon curd

• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Zest
• Sugar
• Butter

For the Danish

• Store-Bought Puff Pastry
• Butter
• Sugar

For the lemon icing

• Powdered Sugar
• Lemon Juice

Steps for making lemon Danish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper of a baking mat.

Step one

Make the lemon curd. Combine the sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.

Step two

Over medium cook the lemon mixture until it thickens. Add the butter and mix in. Set aside the lemon curd.

Step three

Prepare the pastries. Flour the working surface. Place the unfolded pastry sheet on the floured surface. Spread with half of the butter and sprinkle half of the sugar over the top of the dough.

Step four

Cut the puff pastry sheet lengthwise into 6 strips. Twist each strip and then coil into a spiral. Place the pastries on the baking sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Press down the centers with your fingers.

Step five

Place about 2 teaspoons of curd in the center of the pastry where it is pressed down. Bake in the oven for 16 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Step five

Once the pastries are baked, make the icing. Add the powdered sugar to a medium bowl, gradually add the lemon mixture until it is the right consistency, and beat until the icing is smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled pastries.

More breakfast recipes

• English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Rolls
• Pecan Crusted French Toast

If you make these lemon pastries, I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment and a rating.

This recipe was originally published on July 12, 2012. It has been updated with new content and pictures on January 18, 2024.