Go Back
Close up of a freshly baked Apple Cream Cheese Danish showing the visible cream cheese filling and cinnamon sprinkled apples.

Flaky Apple Cream Cheese Danish Recipe

Achieve bakery-quality perfection with this Apple Cream Cheese Danish. Featuring golden brown, flaky puff pastry squares, a visible rich cream cheese filling, topped with cinnamon-spiced sliced apples and toasted almonds.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings: 4 pastries
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American, European
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 sheet Puff Pastry Thawed but kept extremely cold. (8 oz / 225g)
  • 8 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese Softened to room temperature. (225g)
  • 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar Sifted to prevent lumps. (30g)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Pure vanilla extract preferred. (5ml)
  • 1 medium Apple Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, cored and thinly sliced.
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice Prevents browning. (5ml)
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar For tossing the apples. (12g)
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon Divided use. (2g)
  • 2 tbsp Sliced Almonds For textural crunch. (15g)
  • 1 large Egg Beaten with 1 tsp of water for the egg wash.

Equipment

  • 1 Half-Sheet Baking Pan Light-colored metal prevents bottom scorching.
  • 1 Pastry Brush Essential for applying an even egg wash.

Method
 

Preparation and Baking
  1. Unfold the thawed puff pastry (8 oz / 225g) onto a floured surface. Cut into four equal squares. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Score a 1/2-inch border inside each square with a knife. Aggressively dock (prick) the inner square with a fork.
  2. In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese (8 oz / 225g), powdered sugar (1/4 cup / 30g), and vanilla extract (1 tsp / 5ml) until completely smooth. Spread evenly within the scored borders of the pastry.
  3. Thinly slice the apple. Toss immediately with lemon juice (1 tsp / 5ml), granulated sugar (1 tbsp / 12g), and half of the ground cinnamon (1/2 tsp / 1g).
  4. Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping pattern over the cream cheese filling. Sprinkle evenly with the sliced almonds (2 tbsp / 15g).
  5. Brush the exposed pastry borders with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon (1/2 tsp / 1g) over the top. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are soaring, golden brown, and flaky.

Notes

Tip 1: Keep the puff pastry extremely cold to ensure maximum flaky layers.
Tip 2: Slice the apples paper-thin so they cook completely in the short 15-minute baking window.