Easy Apple Danish Recipe

4 from 16 votes

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This Apple Danish Recipe is fast, delicious and made with crescent roll dough, fresh apples for the apple pie filling and a simple glaze! It’s seriously so simple to throw together and tastes amazing right out of the oven. A perfect Fall treat or weekend brunch! Want more Fall apple breakfasts/desserts? Try my Apple Turnover and Buttery Apple Crisp.

apple danish on a board

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

These Apple Danishes are the perfect semi-fancy-semi-easy recipe for Fall. With apple season upon us, you might be in need of several ways to use up your harvest! This is a fabulous breakfast, brunch or sweet treat that you must try. It’s soft, sweet, slightly chewy, slightly tangy, sweet, spicy, and all-around satisfying. Delish! The main reason why this recipe is so quick and easy is that I use a can of store-bought crescent roll dough. If that isn’t your thing, you can totally make homemade crescent dough instead.

More Danish Pastries to try and love! Cheese Danish RecipeChocolate Cream Cheese DanishPumpkin Cream Cheese Danish, and Easy Blackberry Cheese Danish.

apple danish on a plate with cinnamon

Aren’t Danishes Typically Made with Puff Pastry?

Yes, yes they are. Puff Pastry dough is made with flour, water and butter. It’s then rolled out and folded several times creating layers. When it’s baked, it creates air pockets within the layers which makes the light and flaky pastry. Crescent roll dough is made with similar ingredients plus sugar making it a bit sweeter, but still has that light and flaky texture that we all love in a danish or other pastries. I used crescent roll dough for this recipe because honestly it’s what I had on hand. I found that it was a bit easier to work with and it turned out great too!

How to Make an Apple Danish

This Apple Cream Cheese Danish recipe uses simple ingredients and is quick to throw together. So if you’re in a pinch and need a perfect autumn dessert or breakfast, this is your recipe. For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements needed, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what you can expect when making this easy danish recipe:

apple danish ingredients

Preheat Oven + Prep

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Set aside a cookie sheet.

Cook the Apples

In a medium nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add in diced apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes.

Make the Cream Cheese Filling

While the sweet apples are cooking, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Set aside.

Lay Out Crescent Dough on a Baking Sheet

Pop open crescent roll dough and unroll, leaving crescents in rectangles. On an un-greased cookie sheet, lay the crescent roll rectangles together, lining them up width wise. The dough should be almost the entire length of a half sheet pan. Press edges together to even out edges and seal any holes. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up each side of the dough.

Spread Cream Cheese Filling Down the Center of the Dough

Carefully spread cream cheese filling down the center of the dough to be about 2-3 inches wide.

Next, Top with cooked apples.

Fold Dough Slits Over the Filling in a Braided Pattern

Fold 1/2 inch dough pieces up over filling alternating sides to get that classic danish braid pattern. You may have excess dough once you reach the end of the danish, so fold them in as best as you can.

Bake + Cool

Bake for 20 minutes or until cream cheese and apple filling is set and the crescent dough is golden brown in color. Cool at least 20 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Once danish has cooled, move to a serving platter.

baked apple danish

Make the Icing

In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. You may need to add more heavy cream to get the desired consistency. Drizzle icing over danish.

Slice into Pieces + Serve Warm

Slice into equal pieces and serve! You can eat this warm or at room temperature…if you want to wait. But, I won’t blame you if you snarf it right out of the oven. Be careful not to burn yourself! 😉

Apple Danish Storing Directions

Any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 7 days. Because this apple danish also has cream cheese in it, you can’t let it sit out on the counter. Bacteria could grow and make you sick!

Make-Ahead Directions

Thankfully this danish recipe is super easy to make ahead. This is great to save you even more time! Whether you are making this the night ahead for breakfast in the morning or for dessert the next day you can follow these easy steps.

  1. First, follow the directions as normal and stop before baking!
  2. Make some room in your fridge because now you can take your whole baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
  3. Keep in your refrigerator for up to two days.
  4. When ready to bake, pull it out of your fridge and let the danish get to room temperature. Then bake as you normally would! Enjoy!
pieces of apple danish on a plate with cinnamon

FAQ’s + Baking Tips for This Apple Danish Recipe

What kind of apple is the best to use in a danish pastry?

You can use any type of apple you have on hand. Granny Smith is a good traditional choice. I used a fuji apple for this particular recipe.

Can I freeze an apple danish?

Unfortunately, this apple danish does not freeze well. This is because the cream cheese filling will change textures when frozen then thawed again. It becomes less of a creamy filling and more of a crumbly grainy texture.
But if you want to make this danish recipe without the cream cheese filling you can freeze it (baked or unbaked). 
Unbaked. Prepare recipe completely up to the point of baking. Place the unbaked danish on the parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours until frozen. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place it into an airtight container. Return to the freezer for up to two months!
You can bake the danish straight from the freezer. Give it an extra 15-20 minutes to bake and watch closely!
Baked. Cool the danish completely then place in an airtight container. It can last for up to two weeks in the freezer. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight. To heat the danish up place in the oven until heated through. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

What can I use instead of a can of crescent rolls?

You could use a pre-made puff pastry sheet sold in grocery stores or make homemade crescent roll dough from scratch. I have a detailed recipe post that would be a good place to turn to.

More Easy Apple Recipes to Try!

Be sure to print/share/save/bookmark/pin this recipe because it’s a delicious apple recipe to have in your back pocket this fall and winter…or any time of year really. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

apple danish on a board
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4 from 16 votes

Apple Danish

Use crescent roll dough to make a fast and delicious cinnamon Apple Danish. It’s seriously so simple to throw together and tastes amazing fresh out of the oven!
servings 8 servings
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

for the glaze –

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • In a medium nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add in apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes.
    diced apples, cinnamon and sugar cooking in a frying pan
  • While apples are cooking, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Set aside.
  • Pop open crescent roll dough and unroll, leaving crescents in rectangles. On an ungreased baking sheet, lay the crescent roll rectangles together, lining them up width wise. The dough should be almost the entire length of a half sheet pan. Press edges together to even out edges and seal any holes. Cut 1/2 inch diagonal strips up each side of the dough. Carefully spread cream cheese filling down the center of the dough to be about 2-3 inches wide. Top with cooked apples.
    crescent roll laid out, slits cut and cream cheese being spread down the middle
  • Fold 1/2 inch dough pieces up over filling alternating sides to get a braided pattern. You may have excess dough once you reach the end of the danish, so fold them in as best as you can.
    apples being added to cream cheese and crescent pastry
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until filling is set and the crescent dough is golden in color. Cool at least 20 minutes before removing from baking sheet.
    apple danish baked and on a cutting board
  • Once danish has cooled, remove to a serving platter. In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream to create icing. You may need to add more cream to get the desired consistency. Drizzle icing over danish.
    spoon drizzling glaze over the top of apple danish on a cutting board
  • Cut into pieces and serve.
    cut apple danish pieces on a serving plate

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 528IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apple Danish, Apple Danish Recipe, Cream Cheese Danish

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Recipe Rating




41 Responses
  1. R. Behm

    5 stars
    This is delicious! I don’t know what that other review, but it’s wrong. I made it ahead of time and baked it in the morning. My husband and kids loved it. And asked to add it to our Easter breakfast menu. Love it.

  2. Lindsey

    1 star
    I was a little disappointed. This did not taste like a danish, more like diced apples in a dry crescent roll. Will not be making this again.

  3. Dianne

    5 stars
    This is so good! I used half a can of apple pie filling to save time. I also suggest starting with half a cup of confectioners sugar and 2T of liquid. I used half and half, but I normally use whole milk and did not notice a difference. I also ended up with a little more than a third of the cream cheese left over It whips up quite a bit when you mix with a mixer. I will just have to make this again, in half a batch this week, with my extra half a can of apples and cream cheese.

  4. Mary

    5 stars
    Made as directed. Turned out fabulous. Definitely will try making the night before next time when I have relatives in town since it is a lot of danish. Thank you!!

  5. Ellen Wicker

    5 stars
    I’m not very good at complicated baking but this was so easy.
    I added more apple filling. So good! I will definitely be making this again.

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  9. Felisa

    Saw this yummy danish on Pinterest and had to click on it. To my disapointment you use canned dough. I know it is easy but a true from scratch recipe would be lovely.

  10. Michelle @ The Gathering of Friends

    What a beautiful Danish! Can’t wait to try it! We featured your recipe in our Feature Friday blog post last week for Cinnamon and Spice Desserts!

  11. Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life

    A ratty beard is definitely a no-go zone, but my gorgeous ginger boyfriend has the most beautiful red beard, and every time his mother tells him he should shave it off I have to stop myself from giving her a filthy look because I LOVE it! He looks so baby face without it, and then with it he reminds me of a viking lord, sigh. Just my Danish blood coming through 😉
    Speaking of Danish! This looks absolutely delicious! Perfect way for me to make use of the last of the stored winter apples 🙂

  12. Chels R.

    I have to admit, I love facial hair-I think it looks good on “the boy next door type” I’m looking at you Chris Evans from Snowpiercer. You shoulda kept that look. It also looks great on my hubs. But so with you on the Duck Dynasty. It’s just nappy on those dude-like why would you want to look like that?
    But this-looks amazing and I bet it tastes even better.

  13. Leslie W

    Oh Lauren, I love your blog not just for the great recipes but the stories too! I have been married 33 yrs. & have NEVER seen my husband w/out a mustache despite my now almost 25 yr old son & my attempts to make him shave it off. It’s just hair it grows back right? Now I’m thinking I might react the same way your mom did! Ha!

  14. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

    That’s hilarious! My dad had a mustache, too, until I was almost done with high school. Nobody in my family even NOTICED! It took my sister’s new boyfriend to say something about it, before we realized his mustache was in fact gone! Ha! That danish looks like perfection 🙂

  15. Marilyn Brennan

    I think a beard on a man ages him like three decades. Stay away from them!!

    You’re a girl after my own heart with this recipe. this dude is a total winner!

  16. Charlene

    I think I read somewhere that the Duck Dynasty guys have that facial hair due to their religion…? Here’s a pic of them before, so different. And they were hot, this answers your how they got married question! http://www.today.com/popculture/beards-duck-dynasty-stars-are-unrecognizable-8C11411204

“logos”