🍎✨ Apple Cinnamon Danish

These Apple Cinnamon Danishes are flaky, buttery, fruity, and wonderfully cozy. Refrigerated crescent roll dough makes the pastry quick and easy, while tender cinnamon-sugar apples and a creamy sweetened cream cheese filling create the perfect bakery-style center.

Finished with a simple vanilla glaze, these golden pastries are perfect for breakfast, brunch, afternoon coffee, holidays, or an easy homemade dessert.

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 18–22 minutes
• Total Time: About 40 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 Danishes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Method: Oven-baked

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• 2 tablespoons (30 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Pastry

• 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash

For the Glaze

• ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

This prevents the pastry from sticking and makes cleanup much easier.

2. Prepare the Cinnamon Apple Filling

Peel, core, and dice the apples into small pieces.

Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

Add the diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Cook for approximately 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften but still retain some texture.

3. Thicken the Apple Filling

Stir the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.

Add it to the skillet with the apples.

Cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and the apples are coated in a glossy cinnamon sauce.

Remove from the heat.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Allow the apple mixture to cool for several minutes.

4. Make the Cream Cheese Filling

In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

Mix until smooth and creamy.

Set aside.

5. Prepare the Crescent Dough

Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into its individual triangles.

For larger, more Danish-like pastries, lightly press the seams together if the dough is perforated.

You can also gently roll the dough slightly thinner if desired.

6. Shape the Danishes

Place the crescent triangles on the prepared baking sheet.

Gently fold or curl the outer edges slightly inward to create a small border around the center.

This helps keep the filling contained during baking.

7. Add the Cream Cheese

Place approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry.

Spread it slightly, leaving a border of dough around the edges.

8. Add the Apple Filling

Spoon the cooled cinnamon apple mixture over the cream cheese layer.

Don’t overfill the pastries, as the filling can spread during baking.

9. Brush with Egg Wash

Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the exposed crescent dough with the beaten egg.

Try not to brush the egg directly onto the cream cheese or apple filling.

The egg wash gives the pastries a beautiful golden, glossy finish.

10. Bake

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 18–22 minutes, or until the Danishes are puffed and deeply golden brown.

The pastry should look crisp and fully baked around the edges.

11. Cool Slightly

Remove the Danishes from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

Don’t glaze them immediately while they’re piping hot, or the glaze will melt completely.

12. Make the Vanilla Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together:

• Powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Vanilla extract

Add a little more milk, a few drops at a time, until the glaze reaches a smooth, drizzleable consistency.

It should be thick enough to sit lightly on top of the pastries.

13. Glaze the Danishes

Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the cooled or slightly warm Danishes using a spoon, piping bag, or small whisk.

For a bakery-style appearance, make thin lines across each pastry.

14. Serve

Serve the Apple Cinnamon Danishes warm or at room temperature.

They’re especially delicious alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

Chef’s Tips

• Cut the apples small: Smaller pieces soften evenly and make the Danishes easier to eat.
• Cool the apple filling: Hot filling can soften the crescent dough and make shaping difficult.
• Don’t overfill: Too much filling can leak out during baking.
• Use softened cream cheese: It creates a smoother filling with no lumps.
• Watch the pastry closely: Crescent dough can go from golden to overly brown quickly.
• Glaze after cooling slightly: This keeps the glaze visible rather than allowing it to disappear into the hot pastry.
• Choose firm apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or similar apples work especially well.

Delicious Variations

Caramel Apple Danish

Drizzle the finished Danishes with caramel sauce along with the vanilla glaze.

Pecan Apple Danish

Add ¼ cup chopped pecans to the apple filling for a delicious crunchy variation.

Raisin Apple Danish

Stir ¼ cup raisins into the cinnamon apples before filling the pastries.

Apple Cheesecake Danish

Increase the cream cheese filling to ¼ cup cream cheese and add a little extra powdered sugar for a richer cheesecake-style center.

Maple Glazed Danish

Replace the milk in the glaze with a tablespoon of maple syrup plus a few drops of milk as needed.

Nutmeg Apple Danish

Add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg to the apple filling for an extra-warm spice flavor.

Make-Ahead Instructions

The apple filling can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.

When ready to bake, prepare the cream cheese filling and assemble the Danishes fresh.

The unbaked assembled pastries can also be refrigerated for several hours before baking. Brush with egg wash immediately before placing them in the oven.

Storage

Store leftover Danishes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5–8 minutes to restore some of the pastry’s crispness.

Freezing

For best results, freeze the baked Danishes without the glaze.

Allow them to cool completely, then wrap individually and place in a freezer-safe container.

Freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw and warm in the oven, then drizzle with fresh glaze before serving.

Serving Suggestions

These Danishes are delicious with:

• Hot coffee
• Cappuccino
• Black tea
• Chai tea
• Hot chocolate
• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Caramel sauce
• Fresh apple slices

They make a beautiful addition to a breakfast or brunch platter alongside fresh fruit and other pastries.

Final Result

Golden, flaky Apple Cinnamon Danishes filled with tender brown-sugar cinnamon apples and a creamy cheesecake-like center, all finished with a delicate vanilla glaze. They’re buttery, cozy, sweet, and incredibly easy to make—perfect for bringing bakery-style flavor straight to your kitchen.