Apple Cheese Danishes (Printable Version)

Flaky puff pastries filled with creamy cheese and warmly spiced apples, baked until golden.

# 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

→ Apple Filling

06 - 2 medium apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and finely diced
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

→ Decoration

12 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2–3 tsp milk or lemon juice (for drizzle consistency)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples are tender and coated in a syrupy glaze. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
03 - In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
04 - Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth any creases. Cut into 8 equal squares. Transfer squares to the prepared baking tray. Lightly score a smaller square border inside each piece without cutting through, then prick the inner center area several times with a fork.
05 - Spread a generous spoonful of cream cheese filling in the center of each pastry square, staying within the scored border. Top with a spoonful of the cooled apple mixture.
06 - Brush the exposed pastry edges with beaten egg to promote even browning during baking.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough milk or lemon juice to reach a drizzle consistency. Spoon zigzag lines over cooled danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Store bought puff pastry does all the heavy lifting so you look like a pastry genius with barely any effort.
  • The combination of tangy cream cheese and spiced apple filling tastes like autumn condensed into a single bite.
  • They freeze beautifully which means you can hoard them for yourself throughout the week.
02 -
  • If your puff pastry tears while you are cutting it just pinch the edges back together with your fingers because it forgives almost anything once it hits the oven.
  • The apple filling must be completely cool before you spoon it onto the pastry or it will melt the cream cheese layer into a sad puddle.
03 -
  • Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the apple filling before baking for a crunchy texture that takes these from great to extraordinary.
  • Always err on the side of underfilling because the cream cheese and apples spread as they bake and overflow will burn on your tray.

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