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–+ servings

Caramel Apple Danish

Learn how to make a Caramel Apple Danish, bakery-style pastry with flaky crescent dough, spiced apples, and cream cheese.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 oz package of Cream Cheese
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1 can crescent roll dough or 2 cans Crescent Rolls
  • Cooked apples see below
Apple pie filling
  • 1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apple peeled & diced
  • 3-4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
Icing
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tsp milk

Equipment

  • Heavy bottom pan or sauce pan
  • 2 medium sized bowls
  • Knife + cutting board
  • whisk or hand held mixer
  • Parchment lined baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Start by making the apple pie filling.
  2. Melt the butter in a pan or sauce pan. Toss in diced apples, brown sugar, and apple pie spice.
  3. Bring to a boil to cook down the apples. Create your slurry (cornstarch and water) make sure it’s mixed together well and then add to the pan with the vanilla
  4. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat allowing it to thicken as it cooks for 3-4 mins.
  5. Pour into a bowl and let cool while continuing the recipe.
Create Danish:
  1. In a small bowl, blend Cream Cheese and 1/4 cup sugar.
  2. Roll out crescent dough. Slice into rectangles.
  3. If using cans roll it into a flat rectangle before you cut it.
  4. Spread rectangles of dough with about 3 tbsp of the softened cream cheese mixture.
  5. Starting at the long side, gently roll and twist at the same time (slightly braiding) until the roll is about 10 inches long.
  6. Spiral and curl loosely tucking the seam inside.
  7. Arrange on parchment paper lined baking sheet
  8. In the center place the backside of spoon to flatten the hole for the filling.
  9. Add 1-2 tbsp of filling
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 22-25 minutes (until golden brown)
Make Icing:
  1. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to bowl. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time mixing it well. Add milk based on desired consistency.
  2. Remove danish from oven and let cool 10-15 mins. Drizzle with icing & caramel serve and enjoy

Notes

You want a thick pie filling for the center.
Apple preserves will work well for this recipe.
Watch the amount of liquid (juice) going into the center hole.
If making larger danish I would spoon some of the cream cheese filling in the center and add pie filling on top!
I only used about 1.5 tbsp of milk to create a thick glaze that I could pipe on top of the danish

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!