Recipe updated & changed on 11/06/2024

If you’ve been missing your favorite breakfast pastries since starting keto, this recipe is exactly what you need. The light, airy dough combined with creamy cheese filling creates that perfect Danish texture you remember.

You don’t need any special baking skills or hard to find ingredients – just basic items like cream cheese, eggs, and almond flour that you probably already have in your keto kitchen.

The cream cheese filling is rich and tangy, while the base stays light and fluffy thanks to the whipped egg whites. When you add the sweet lemon glaze on top, it really brings all the flavors together perfectly.

Making these at home means you can enjoy them fresh from the oven, which is when they taste best. They’re great for weekend breakfasts, brunch with friends, or even as an afternoon treat with coffee.

👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Basic Ingredients: Everything in this recipe is probably already in your keto kitchen – cream cheese, eggs, almond flour, and basic sweeteners.

Perfect Texture: Unlike many keto baked goods that can be dense or heavy, this Danish has that perfect pastry texture – light on the outside with a creamy center that melts in your mouth.

Protein Rich Breakfast: Thanks to the eggs, cream cheese, and protein powder, each Danish provides a good amount of protein.

Satisfying Sweet Craving: When you’re craving something sweet on keto, this recipe really delivers. The combination of the sweet filling and tangy lemon glaze satisfies those pastry cravings without breaking your carb limit.

✨ Recipe Ingredients

For the Filling

4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
1 Egg Yolk
2 1/2 tablespoons Sugar Free Sweetener (powdered) – I recommend this one (amazon)
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice

For the Base Dough

2 tablespoons Almond Flour
2 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
3 Eggs (separate egg whites and yolks)
2 tablespoons Protein Powder (unflavored)
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 tablespoon Keto Sweetener

For The Icing

1 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
3 tablespoons Sugar Free Sweetener (powdered)
1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice

👨‍🍳 How To Make

Follow this easy recipe to make the best keto cheese danish:

Step 1

We will first prepare the cream cheese filling. Add the cream cheese, egg yolk, vanilla, sweetener, and lemon juice to a medium bowl. Mix until smooth.

Step 2

Now we can make the dough. Separate the eggs – place the egg whites and yolks in 2 separate small bowls.

Add the protein powder, cream cheese, almond flour, and sweetener to the egg yolks and use an electric mixer to mix until smooth.

Step 3

Clean your electric mixer (it needs to be clean so the egg whites whip correctly). Mix the egg whites at low to medium speed until frothy. Then, add the cream of tartar. Mix on high until stiff peaks form and stop – don’t overmix.

Step 4

Fold the yolk mixture into the egg whites mixture. Don’t mix – but fold, to keep it airy.

Step 5

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter and space them apart. Use a spoon to create a well in the center of each one. Then, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese filling and place in the well.

Step 6

Bake at 325°F (don’t forget to preheat the oven) for 16-18 minutes. Meanwhile, make the icing: combine the lemon juice, whipping cream, and sweetener in a small bowl. After removing the cheese Danish from the oven – drizzle it and serve. Enjoy!

💡Tips

1. Room Temperature Ingredients Matter

Make sure your cream cheese is properly softened before starting. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in both your filling and dough, no matter how much you mix.

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 1.5 hours before baking, or speed up the process by cutting it into small cubes.

Also, let your eggs come to room temperature – this helps them whip better and creates a fluffier final texture. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and create a better Danish.

2. Don’t Rush the Folding Step

When combining the whipped egg whites with the yolk mixture, fold gently – don’t stir or mix. Use a rubber spatula and make big, slow, sweeping motions from bottom to top.

This might take a few minutes, but rushing this step deflates the egg whites and makes your Danish heavy.

Some small white streaks in the batter are totally fine – better than over-mixing and losing all that air you worked to create.

3. Make the Wells Deep Enough

When creating the wells in your dough for the filling, make them deep enough but don’t go all the way through to the parchment paper.

Think of making a nest for the filling – about half an inch deep is perfect. If the wells are too shallow, the filling might overflow during baking.

You’ll Love These Recipes Too

Check out these amazing low carb recipes too:

FAQ

1. Why did my Danish turn out flat?

Probably because egg whites lost their air. This can happen for several reasons. First, make sure you’re whipping the egg whites until they form stiff peaks – when you lift the beater, the peaks should stand straight up and not flop over.

Second, be very gentle when folding in the yolk mixture – rough mixing will deflate the egg whites. Also, check that your cream of tartar is fresh – it helps stabilize the egg whites.

2. Can I skip the protein powder?

The protein powder is important for the texture – it helps create structure in keto baked goods since we’re not using flour. If you really need to skip it, you can try using extra almond flour, but the texture won’t be quite the same.

Keto Cheese Danish