Apple Cheese Danishes (Print Page)

Flaky golden pastries with creamy cheese filling and warmly spiced cinnamon apples.

# What You 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 coated in a thick 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 - Lightly flour your work surface and unroll the thawed puff pastry, smoothing out any creases with a rolling pin. Cut the sheet into 8 equal squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet. Using a knife, lightly score a smaller square border inside each piece without cutting all the way through, then prick the inner center area several times with a fork.
05 - Spread a generous spoonful of the cream cheese filling in the center of each pastry square, staying within the scored border. Spoon the cooled apple mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer on each square.
06 - Brush the exposed pastry edges of each danish with the beaten egg to ensure a deep golden finish during baking.
07 - Bake on the center rack for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.
08 - Whisk the sifted powdered sugar with milk or lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, until a drizzle-consistency glaze forms. Use a spoon to zigzag the glaze over the cooled danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between warm, syrupy apples and cool cream cheese filling is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
  • Frozen puff pastry means you get all the credit with a fraction of the effort.
  • They look genuinely impressive arranged on a plate, like something from a European bakery window.
02 -
  • If your puff pastry gets warm while you are working with it, pop the whole tray into the fridge for ten minutes before baking, warm pastry will not puff properly and you will end up with flat, sad squares.
  • Let the apple filling cool completely before spooning it onto the cream cheese, warm apples will melt the cheese filling into a messy puddle that leaks everywhere during baking.
03 -
  • Do not skip the fork pricking step on the center of each pastry square, it prevents the middle from puffing up and pushing your fillings over the edges.
  • When scoring the inner square border, use the lightest touch possible, if you accidentally cut through the pastry the filling will leak out and burn on the tray.

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