Whether you’re serving up breakfast or dessert, it’s time to bring in a ringer! This Lemon Cream Cheese Ring is the heavyweight champion of flavor, and it’ll have your tastebuds cheering. The golden-brown and buttery pastry contains a treasure trove of bright, zesty lemon flavor, with creamy, tangy sweetness in the filling to balance out the boldness! It’s as impressive to look at as it is to eat, and everyone at the party will agree. That’s a ringing endorsement for the Lemon Cream Cheese Ring!
Ingredients
For the lemon filling:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
For the cream cheese filling:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the pastry ring:
- 2 (8-ounce) containers refrigerated crescent roll dough
For the glaze drizzle:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a small pot over low heat, whisk 1 cup of the sugar, the eggs, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, and the lemon zest together until well-combined.
Step 3 –Add the butter to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and eagerly coats the back of a metal spoon.
Step 4 –Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 5 –Refrigerate the lemon filling until ready to use.
Step 6 –In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the remaining sugar, the egg yolk, the remaining lemon juice, and the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes.
Step 8 –Unroll the crescent rolls and separate them into the perforated, precut triangles.
Step 9 –Place the triangles on an ungreased baking sheet so the wider end of the crescent is in the center, forming a circle with a 5-inch opening in the center and the smaller tip of the crescent is on the outside. The wider ends of the crescents will overlap.
Step 10 –Spread the cream cheese mixture over the wide parts of the crescents.
Step 11 –Very carefully and conservatively spoon the lemon filling on top of the cream cheese mixture. Do not add too much. You will most likely have lemon filling left over.
Step 12 –Fold the small tip of the crescent over the filling and tuck the wider part under to secure and form the ring. Repeat for all the crescent segments. Make sure to wipe away any excess filling prior to baking.
Step 13 –Bake the ring until golden-brown, about 17-22 minutes.
Step 14 –Transfer the ring from the oven and allow it to cool.
Step 15 –In a measuring cup, add the powdered sugar and the milk together and stir until combined.
Step 16 –Drizzle the glaze over the pastry ring.
Step 17 –Slice and serve.
