Cream Cheese Danish
Flaky crescent dough pastries filled with sweet vanilla cream cheese and topped with a simple glaze.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste divided
- 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough 8 oz
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 4 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough on a clean surface. Press the perforations together to form 4 rectangles.
- Brush each rectangle with melted butter, covering the surface all the way to the edges.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar evenly over each rectangle.
- Starting from the long side, roll each rectangle up tightly into a log, then pinch the seams and ends to seal.
- Coil each log into a spiral and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Press the center of each spiral down with your fingers or the back of a spoon to create a shallow well for the filling.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each Danish, keeping it inside the dough border.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastries are puffed and golden brown and the filling is set.
- While the danishes bake, whisk the powdered sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and milk in a small bowl until smooth and pourable.
- Let the danishes cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then drizzle with the vanilla glaze and serve warm.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened so the filling mixes smooth and does not bake up lumpy.
- Add the milk to the glaze a little at a time until it reaches a thick but drizzleable consistency.
- Add the milk to the glaze a little at a time until it reaches a thick but drizzleable consistency.