10 Minute English Muffin Berry Cream Cheese Danish

Welcome to the second annual brunch week hosted by Terri of Love and Confections and Susan of The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen! All week, we’ll  be celebrating the scrumptious, lazy morning, savory & sweet goodness that is brunch. We have 32 bloggers bringing you their best brunch game, including everything from cocktails to eggs benedict to donuts.

These warm Berry Cream Cheese Danishes are made in only 10 minutes, thanks to a little help from English Muffins and  your broiler!

Fun fact: My dad has 13 brothers and sisters. That’s right: t-h-i-r-t-e-e-n. And my grandma, who I am quite sure is enjoying an eternity of massages and three course meals, cooked breakfast for all of them every morning.

Honestly, I cannot even fathom this kind of devotion. If I had 14 kids, I’d be like “Yo, here’s 50 boxes of cereal. Have at it. Don’t kill each other, please.”

My dad tells stories of my grandmother rising at the crack of dawn to cook two gimungous platters of fried eggs. Of course, when you have 14 children (and did I mention 10 of them were boys?), even the most gimungous of platters doesn’t last long. All that hard work would be devoured within minutes, everyone heading off to school or to work on the farm, leaving a trail of yolky dishes behind. CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE ALL THOSE DISHES? *shudder*

My grandmother passed away before I was born, so I never got to meet this saint of a woman. But if I could have met her, I would have given her a great big hug, sent her off to an all inclusive resort, then introduced her to these 10 Minute English Muffin Berry Cream Cheese Danishes.

This is the kind of recipe you can make for 14 kids and not want to crawl into a hole afterwards.

It is beyond easy to throw together. First you slice the English Muffins and cut a small hole out of the center. (This is totally optional, but I like being able to see the jewel-toned jam!) Then you stir together a little cream cheese, sugar, and an egg yolk and spread it over all the nooks and crannies of the bottom slices. Everything gets broiled until the cream cheese mixture is puffy and just slightly browned (which takes about 3 minutes). While the creamy centers are baking, you whisk together an easy peasy powdered sugar and lemon juice glaze.

After that it’s just assembly. Dollop of jam. Sandwich. Drizzle. Done.

It’s so easy, you could have your (14) kids make it.

The result is similar to a danish but with about 1/20th of the work. Warm, creamy centers studded with berry jam and accented by a bright, sour lemon glaze. This is how you make brunch special without making it overwhelming.

This recipe only makes 6, but it’s a cinch to double or halve the recipe based on how many people will be devouring them. And since everything gets baked on a single tray, you don’t have to worry about waiting by the toaster or making loads of extra dishes. So whether it’s just you or it’s you, your neighbors, your best friend, that one stranger you met, and your fourteen kids, this recipe has got you covered.

Here’s to amazing grandmothers, beautiful brunches, and doing it all without having a breakdown.

5 Minute English Muffin Berry Cream Cheese Danish

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 English Muffins

For the cream cheese filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons sugar (I used Dixie Crystals)

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• A few drops vanilla (optional)
• 6 Tablespoons jam (I used Bonne Maman Mixed Berry)

Instructions

Preheat the broiler to low heat.

Slice the English Muffins and cut a small hole out of the tops if desired. I used a large piping tip for this.

In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, egg yolk, and sugar. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bottoms of the English Muffins. Place both the tops and the bottoms on a baking sheet face up. Place under the broiler (at least 4 inches away) and broil until the cheese is puffed and browned, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.

When the muffins are done, place a dollop of jam in the center of each of them and sandwich with the top slices. Drizzle glaze over top. Serve immediately.

Broil at about 6 inches away for 3-5 minutes.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review, or head over to Instagram and share a photo! Tag your projects with #neighborfoodies!

Disclaimer: California Walnuts, Bob’s Red Mill, OXO, Dixie Crystals, Whole Foods Market Doctor Phillips, Grimmway Farms, Woot Froot, Vidalia Onion, Baloian Farms, Stemilt and Bonne Maman are providing the products related to these brands to use for #Brunchweek. All opinions stated are my own.

Brunch Beverages:

• Orange Julius from NeighborFood
• Blackberry Mimosas from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine

Brunch Egg Dishes:

• Spinach Bell Pepper Frittata from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Corn Souffle from Hungry Couple
• Croque Madame Muffins from Cooking in Stilettos
• Fajita Vegetable Quesadillas with Eggs and Avocado Hollandaise from Sarcastic Cooking
• Bacon, Cheddar, Zucchini Quiche from The Kitchen Prep
• Tortilla Espanola from Savvy Eats

Brunch Breads and Grains:

• Blueberry Cornmeal Waffles from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Busy Bee’s Granola from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chocolate Dipped Banana Hazelnut Pancake Kebabs from Food Faith Fitness
• Springtime Sweet Rolls from Eat Your Heart Out
• Lemon Poppyseed Scones from Real Housemoms
• Apple Croissants from Hip Foodie Mom
• Fig and Oatmeal Breakfast Bar from My Catholic Kitchen
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins from Jen’s Favorite Cookies

Brunch Fruits, Vegetables, Sides: 

• Roasted Beet Salad with Pistachios and Blue Cheese from Healthy. Delicious.
• Caramelized Onion, Apple and Gruyere Bites from Take a Bite out of Boca
• Savory Truffles from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Brunch Desserts: 

• Orange Marmalade Pound Cake from Love and Confections
• Hazelnut-Blackberry Cottage Pudding from The Vintage Cook
• Surprise Flower Inside Strawberry Pound Cake from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
• Strawberry Hazelnut Crumble with Coconut Whipped Cream from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Corn Fritter Shortcakes with Maple Whipped Cream from The Spiffy Cookie
• or check out my Chinese Donuts recipe