This Apple Danish recipe offers two options for making danishes – with crescent rolls or puff pastry with cream cheese. Both result in an irresistible dessert with apple pie filling and a sweet glaze on top.
An apple danish is one of my favorite fall treats. Danishes are one of those dishes that work as breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even dessert. There are few things I love better on a fall afternoon than a freshly baked apple danish and a cup of coffee!
This apple danish recipe actually includes two separate ways to make danishes and they’re both equally as good. Just pick the one you have the ingredients on hand for!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Danish Recipe
Here are a few reasons why I love making both of these recipes.
- One dessert, two ways. Below you’ll find two separate apple danish recipes – one made with puff pastry and the other with crescent rolls. Whichever you choose, you still get that classic sweet apple danish flavor.
- Perfect for fall. This recipe is made with apple pie filling and cinnamon, which automatically makes me think of fall. These danishes make a wonderful fall breakfast or afternoon snack.
- Easier than you think. Both versions of this recipe are easier than you may be expecting. The crescent roll version has fewer steps but neither one takes much time to prepare.
What You’ll Need
Both versions of this recipe are made with similar ingredients, which you’ll find below. Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
For the Puff Pastry Apple Danish
- Apple pie filling – You can make your own filling with Granny Smith apples, water, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice, or just use 20 ounces of prepared apple pie filling.
- Cream cheese – Softened so it’s easy to make.
- Sugar
- Egg – You’ll need a single egg yolk for the cream cheese filling and an egg for the egg wash.
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is best.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar – For the vanilla glaze.
- Vanilla extract
- Milk – Any kind will work to mix with the powdered sugar for the glaze.
- Puff pastry – One box thawed at room temperature so you can easily unfold the dough.
For the Crescent Roll Apple Danish
- Crescent rolls – Each tube of crescent rolls or rounds makes 4 danishes.
- Apple pie filling – To keep things simple, I like to use canned apple pie filling for this recipe or my homemade apple pie filling made in advance.
- Butter – Salted and unsalted both work here.
- Sugar
- Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a warm flavor to the dessert.
- Powdered sugar – For the glaze.
- Vanilla
- Milk – Thins the glaze.
How To Make an Apple Danish
Below you’ll find instructions for both versions of this apple danish recipe. Pick your favorite and enjoy! You can find the printable instructions in the recipe card below.
With Crescent Rolls
- Prep. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Open the pie filling and cut the apples into small pieces. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Form the dough. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into 4 rectangles, pinching the seams of the triangles together to create a solid piece. Brush the front side with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Roll into a log on the long side then coil into a spiral, pinching the end of the log into the side of the spiral. Use your fingers to create a well in the center.
- Assemble. Add 2-3 tablespoons of pie filling to the center. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar. Repeat with the remaining danishes.
- Bake. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the dough is golden. Allow to cool.
- Add the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over each danish.
With Puff Pastry
- Make the apple pie filling. Bring the water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens then add the apples. Reduce to low and simmer with a vented lid for 8-10 minutes, until the apples are tender.
- Make the cream cheese filling. In the meantime, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice, mixing for 2 minutes or so.
- Prepare the puff pastry. Unroll the puff pastry and use a sharp knife to divide the dough into thirds along the seams then into thirds widthwise to create 6 squares. Transfer the squares to a baking sheet. Fold them in half from one corner to the opposite corner to create a triangle with the open part facing the top of the baking sheet.
- Cut the dough. Use a sharp knife to slice through the dough along the left side of the triangle, leaving 1″ of dough on the outside. Go back to the top and 1/2 inch from the first cut, make a second cut along the other side also leaving 1″ of dough on the outside.
- Shape the danish. Open the square and take one corner of the dough where there is a full cut and bring it to the opposite corner. Take the other side up and over that piece to the other side creating a square.
- Assemble. Place a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each square then add 1-2 tablespoons of pie filling on top. Beat an egg with water in a small bowl and brush over the dough with a pastry brush.
- Bake. Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Let cool.
- Add the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle over the danishes after they’ve cooled.
Here are a few helpful tips for making this apple danish recipe.
- Let the puff pastry thaw. You want to let the frozen puff pastry unthaw so that it’s easy to unfold without cracking. That said, you don’t want it super warm either.
- Use a sharp knife. When cutting the puff pastry, you’ll want to use a sharp knife for clean, smooth cuts.
- Handle the dough carefully. Puff pastry does tear easily so you’ll want to be gentle as you work with it.
- Let the danishes cool before adding the glaze. For both versions of this recipe, you’ll want to let the danishes cool completely before you add the glaze on top. Otherwise, it will just melt into the dough.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store your apple danishes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. You can also freeze them for up to 1-2 months by placing them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge.
- Reheat. If you like to enjoy your danishes warm, pop each apple danish in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before enjoying.
More Apple Recipes To Try
Danishes Made With Crescent Rolls
Danishes made with Puff Pastry and cream cheese mixture:
Danishes Made With Crescent Rolls
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Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick spray
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Open the can of pie filling and, using kitchen shears, cut the apples into small pieces, set aside.
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Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside
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Open a can of crescent rolls and unroll the dough. Separate the dough so that you have 4 rectangles. Two triangles equal one rectangle. Pinch the seams together to create one sold piece.
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Use a pastry brush to coat the front side of the rectangle with butter.
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Generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the entire rectangle.
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Roll the dough into a log starting on the long side.
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Coil the dough into a spiral and pinch the end of the log into the side of the spiral and/or tuck underneath.
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Use your fingers to create a well in the center of the dough. Feel free to stretch the dough a little to make a slightly larger Danish.
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Add 2-3 Tablespoons of pie filling to the well.
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Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the entire Danish.
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Continue the process with the remaining ingredients ending with 8 Danishes.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or under the dough is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
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Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
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Drizzle the glaze over each roll.
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Enjoy!
Danishes made with Puff Pastry and cream cheese mixture:
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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If making apple pie filling from scratch, add the water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking constantly.
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Once the mixture begins to boil, stir and cook until the sauce thickens.
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Add the apples to the sauce and stir to mix. Turn the temperature to low and simmer with a lid on but vented until the apples are tender. Approximately 8-10 minutes.
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While the apples simmer, beat the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
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Add the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice and mix for approximately two minutes or until everything is smooth.
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Gently unroll the puff pastry and using a pasta cutter or sharp knife, divide the dough into thirds along the seams and then into thirds again, widthwise to create 6 squares.
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Place the squares on the baking sheet.
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Fold a square in half from corner to opposite corner created a triangle with the open part of the triangle facing the top of the baking sheet.
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Take a sharp knife and starting ½ inch from the top of the peak, begin to slice through the dough down along the left side of the triangle down to the bottom left corner leaving 1” of dough on the outside. (See directions)
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Go back to the top of the triangle and leaving a ½ inch space between the first cut, make the second cut along the other side leaving 1” of dough on the outside.
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Open the pastry square and take one corner of the dough, at the end where there is a full cut and bring it over to the opposite corner.
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Take the other side up and over that piece to the other side creating a square with a pocket.
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Take a Tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and put it into the center of each square.
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Then add 1-2 Tablespoons of the pie filling on top of the cream cheese.
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In a small bowl, beat one egg and add 2 Tablespoons of water. Combine well.
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Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the visible dough.
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Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. (Oven temps and times vary)
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Remove to cool.
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In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and drizzle over the baked Danishes.
Last Step:
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