Cream Cheese Danish Coffeecake

This recipe makes two large Danish. This is an old family recipe, perfect for holiday gatherings! Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 336 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 2

Combine 1 cup milk and butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat; heat until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F (40 to 54 degrees C)), about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Beat milk-butter mixture gradually into flour mixture on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat for 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl with a spatula. Beat in 1 cup flour and egg, occasionally scraping the bowl. Switch to the dough hook attachment; mix in remaining 2 cups flour until a soft dough forms.

Step 4

Turn dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to a greased bowl. Turn over to coat top with grease. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Punch down dough and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Place each piece in a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.

Step 6

Combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 1 egg, and lemon juice in the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until evenly blended. Increase speed to medium; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Step 7

Grease 2 baking sheets. Roll 1 piece of dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Step 8

Spread cream cheese filling in a 4-inch strip down the center of each rectangle. Cut dough on both sides of the filling into 1-inch-wide strips. Fold strips alternately over the filling to create a braid. Cover braided dough and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Step 9

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush tops of braids with 2 tablespoons milk.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.