Apple Cheese Danishes (Printable)
Flaky golden pastries stuffed with creamy cheese and spiced cinnamon apples.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
02 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
→ Cream Cheese Filling
03 - 6 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Spiced Apple Filling
06 - 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced (Granny Smith recommended)
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
11 - 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
→ Glaze
12 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tsp milk or lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the juices have thickened into a syrup. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
03 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
04 - Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and roll gently to smooth out any creases. Cut the sheet into 8 equal squares.
05 - Transfer the pastry squares to the prepared baking sheet. Using a knife, lightly score a smaller square border inside each piece without cutting all the way through. Prick the inner square several times with a fork to prevent puffing. Spread a spoonful of cream cheese filling inside the scored border, then top with a generous spoonful of the cooled apple mixture.
06 - Brush the exposed pastry edges with the beaten egg to ensure a golden, shiny finish after baking.
07 - Bake on the center rack for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown.
08 - Allow the danishes to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Whisk together the powdered sugar and enough milk or lemon juice to reach a drizzling consistency. Use a spoon to zigzag the glaze over the cooled danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The contrast of tangy cream cheese and warmly spiced apples tucked into flaky pastry is genuinely addictive, and you will have to stop yourself from eating the whole tray.
- They use one sheet of store bought puff pastry, which means all the drama of homemade pastry with none of the laminating work.
02 -
- Do not skip scoring the inner square border, because without it the pastry will not puff around the filling properly and everything spreads into a flat mess.
- Let the apple filling cool completely before adding it to the pastry, since warm filling will melt the cream cheese layer and make the bottom soggy before it even reaches the oven.
03 -
- Dust your knife or cutter with a tiny bit of flour between cuts to keep the pastry edges clean and allow maximum puff in the oven.
- The cream cheese filling should be thick enough to hold its shape when spooned, so if it seems too loose, refrigerate it for fifteen minutes before assembling.