Thanks to Philadelphia Cream Cheese for sponsoring this post.
Coconut Cheesecake Breakfast Braid
So many holiday mornings of my childhood were spent climbing into the car with my dad to drive over to the French Bakery. I think it had an actual name other than “French Bakery,” but that’s all we ever called it. We drove down Sharon Amity Road and turned right onto Albemarle. From there it was a short trek to the little strip of shops out in front of Eastland Mall where the bakery entrance was situated under a big arch. As soon as we walked in I was transported to France.
Really, I had never been to France and didn’t know much about it. But Elliott Erwitt’s iconic print, Provence 1955, hung on the wall and I knew that was quite French. Just look at the bicycle! The baguettes! The beret! And the ethereal perfume of freshly baked pastries — not just any pastries, but the ones with the dark golden sweet crunch on the outside and perfect flaky layers on the inside — was undoubtedly French! So what I mean to say is, I was transported to the France of my imagination.
There were plenty of beautiful things in the bakery cases including the occasional lavish cake, but on the special occasions when we got to go to the French Bakery, I had eyes for only one thing: a cream cheese danish.
You’ve probably had plenty of mediocre danishes in your time, and so have I. But this wasn’t like those soggy, bready things. This was crisp, buttery, creamy, amazing. All the danishes were good: cherry, blueberry, lemon. But the cream cheese danish had my heart. It made a holiday a holiday when we could drive home with the big white box full of pastries.
When I was a little older, the French Bakery moved about 10 miles farther away. Then, just like that, it disappeared altogether. Holiday mornings were never quite the same (thankfully, my mom could still make her awesome cinnamon rolls.) No matter how many bakeries I try — even the Frenchiest looking of the French bakeries — I can’t find anything like the French Bakery.
BUT NOW I AM A GROWN-UP (do grown-ups call themselves grown-ups? Whatever.) NOW I CAN BAKE TOO. Since I can’t have my beloved French Bakery, I’ve taken to making allllll the pastry braids (I don’t know if you’ve noticed? The roughly 800,839,405 braids on Willow Bird lately?)
I couldn’t rest without a creamy coconut version for Easter morning. This crisp, gorgeous pastry filled with a cheesecakey center reminds me of my beloved French Bakery mornings and it’s definitely fit for a holiday table. It’s also so easy to make. I’ve included some handy photos and a tutorial video below so you can see how the braid comes together.
Thanks to Philadelphia Cream Cheese for sponsoring me to create a delicious Easter breakfast recipe. It’s not an original Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe — it’s all mine! Just in case you couldn’t tell by the braid.
One year ago: Bailey’s Mint Oreo Icebox Cake
Two years ago: Bailey’s Hazelnut Chocolate Tiramisu
Three years ago: Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle
Four years ago: Soft Pretzel Dogs
Five years ago: Best Blueberry Pie with Foolproof Pie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
- 1 (8-ounce) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- a scant 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut (plus more for topping)
- ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon coconut extract
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Make the filling: Cream the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until fluffy before adding sugar, coconut extract, and the egg. Mix together until well combined. Stir in coconut. Set aside on the counter while you prepare the rest of the braid.
- Make the pastry braid: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture and pulse to cut the fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add the milk and almond extract and blend until it’s just starting to come together into a loose dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a big sheet of lightly-floured parchment paper and knead each very lightly for just 4-5 strokes (be careful not to overwork the dough or it’ll be tough! Don’t worry about getting it smooth — just knead for these few strokes and let it stay a little rough.)
- Very lightly flour the top of the dough and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the dough to an 10- by 12-inch rectangle (I lift the paper off every now and then and flip the dough and repeat on the other side, to ensure the dough isn’t sticking). Remove the top sheet of parchment and discard. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the butter and spread it out (I use the back of two spoons to spread it around). Things will get oozy and you will worry that you're messing the braid up. Take a deep breath and soldier through, because it's gonna come out amazing!
- Continue assembling the braid: (Remember, there are photos below to help visualize this step!) Make diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each the long sides. Do not cut into the center filling area. Fold strips, first one from one side and then one from the other side in an alternating fashion, over the filling. It will now resemble a braid. Use the sheet of parchment to carefully transfer your braid to a baking sheet. At this point you can cover and refrigerate the braid overnight, or you can continue to the next step.
- Bake and glaze the braid: Brush the pastry braid with the egg wash mixture. Bake in the 425 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until the dough is really golden on top and the filling is set. After allowing the braid to cool for around 30 minutes, whisk together the powdered sugar, coconut and vanilla extracts, and milk in a small measuring cup with a pour spout. Drizzle over the top of the braid. Top with extra shredded coconut and serve!
Example of how to cut and assemble braid.
And here’s a video illustration:
https://youtu.be/kfmkkSFIKgY
debbie
March 24, 2015 at 6:22 am (10 years ago)This looks wonderful! I love your story too. There is nothing like a good bakery. When I lived on Long Island we had tons of them but here in Virginia I have yet to find a really good one! I will have to try this recipe. I’ve never made a braided danish!
Erin M.
March 24, 2015 at 7:51 am (10 years ago)Hi Julie! This looks so good! I’m curious about the melted butter in step 4…I don’t see it listed in the ingredients. How much do you use? I may try this instead of cinnamon rolls for Easter, although I already have some dough in my freezer for those. I use your dough recipe for the morning buns because it’s so good and easy to work with! thanks for the recipe!
Julie Ruble
March 24, 2015 at 9:10 am (10 years ago)Oops, Erin, the melted butter was a holdover from another recipe and I’m glad you spotted it! This post went through so many proofreadings by me AND others, too — I’m always amazed at how persistent mistakes can be! I fixed it now. I hope you love the braid! It is perfect for Easter morning. And I’m so glad you love the morning bun dough — it’s my favorite way to make any sort of bun, too! Heck, why not make both?! 😉
Erin M.
March 25, 2015 at 3:59 pm (10 years ago)Thank you for the clarification! Twist my arm about making both 🙂
Yankee Kitchen Ninja
March 24, 2015 at 8:09 am (10 years ago)Love that this recipe was inspired by such a nice (and yummy!) childhood tradition!
Lisa
March 24, 2015 at 10:04 am (10 years ago)The only danish I would ever eat in a million years is a cream cheese one. I’m weird about fruit in things. I also never go to bakeries because I’m a giant pain and would rather make stuff myself so this was the perfect thing to see this morning. If only I wasn’t avoiding carbs right this second I would go home and make it right now. That and work being an obstacle. But I will make it for Easter! Gotta have carbs on that day. Thanks!
Nicole @ Or Whatever You Do
March 24, 2015 at 10:04 am (10 years ago)Such a pretty breakfast treat! I love making braids. Beautiful work!
heather @french press
March 24, 2015 at 10:51 am (10 years ago)I LOVE every single one of your pastry braids, and nothing beats a really good cream cheese danish on a weekend morning. This sounds like a terrific addition to our Easter brunch table
Catherine
March 24, 2015 at 2:04 pm (10 years ago)Dear Julie, this sounds so good! I haven’t had a cheese danish in ages. I would be in heaven with a slice of this and coffee.
I know exactly what you mean. Food has the wonderful ability to transport one to wherever they want to go. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been to Italy 😉 …Many beautiful memories. Pinned for later and I enjoyed the video too! xo dear, Catherine
Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me
March 24, 2015 at 6:26 pm (10 years ago)This looks wonderful and what a great story. There is nothing better than a great bakery, sadly we don’t have many here in Cincinnati, but when we travel out east, I like to enjoy what they have to offer.
Aida @ TheCraftingFoodie
March 25, 2015 at 12:40 am (10 years ago)Julie, this looks amazing! The bread is fluffy and tender, and that filling looks absolutely delicious!
Laura
March 29, 2015 at 10:31 pm (10 years ago)My husband made this today and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Julie Ruble
March 29, 2015 at 10:58 pm (10 years ago)I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Laura!! Thank you!
Nlue
April 1, 2015 at 11:00 pm (10 years ago)Oh how you delight my soul! When I was young about 8yrs old a neighbors daughter befriended me and her dad was one of those great dads! When I did a sleep over on Saturday night I was invited to go to the Patessiere.. ahhh.. it was heaven. And he would buy me a cheese danish. All my own!!! I was in heaven. No little brothers to share no frowning mother .. just happiness..
Thank you very much♡
Sally @ Simple Breakfast Ideas
April 3, 2015 at 6:10 pm (10 years ago)What a lovely post! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Maria
May 15, 2015 at 3:38 pm (10 years ago)Mine opened… Maybe I didn’t close the braid tightly? The filling stayed in but the whole thing opened up like a lake of cream cheese.
Julie Ruble
May 15, 2015 at 3:55 pm (10 years ago)Did the braid strips cross over the whole width of the top? I don’t crimp mine together or anything. They do expand while baking, but if the strips cross the whole width of the braid (e.g. If your lengthwise thirds are pretty even width) they stay mostly closed for me. When you say lake of cream cheese, do you mean it was runny? The egg binds it, but I imagine if your cream cheese were to warm that might happen. Sorry it didn’t work out the way you expected!
Morgan
January 10, 2016 at 2:14 pm (9 years ago)Can you make the dough and filling ahead of time, refrigerate and assemble in the morning?
Julie Ruble
January 10, 2016 at 4:12 pm (9 years ago)Yeah, you can! Some of the filling might ooze out, but that’s OK.
Stephanie
May 28, 2024 at 8:37 pm (7 months ago)Been hunting for a cream cheese and coconut danish! Did I miss when to add the coconut to the filling?
Julie Ruble
May 28, 2024 at 9:15 pm (7 months ago)I hope you love it Stephanie!! The coconut is added to the filling at the very end of step 1 (after all the other filling ingredients have been creamed together).