Need a fast and easy brunch option? This super quick Cheese Danish is a total crowd pleaser! With minimal ingredients and maximum flavor, you'll make this again and again!
Be sure to try other easy brunch foods like Croissant French Toast Bake, Bubble Up Breakfast Casserole and Grandma's Banana Bread.
Super Quick Cheese Danish
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We all need that quick, throw-together option for those events and holidays calling for a brunch dish-to-pass. Christmas morning. Easter Sunday. Mother's Day. That random Sunday morning you planned to entertain and accidentally overslept. It happens!
This cream cheese danish is outrageously quick and easy to throw together. It's got delicious but logical shortcuts, so you can work smarter, not harder. And the results are a beautifully braided, flaky, golden-brown crust filled with sweet and creamy cheese. Whip it up in as little as 10 minutes and then pop it into the oven and you've got a delicious danish that is sure to impress!
Tips for how to make cheese danish
- No need to make the dough from scratch. Use a refrigerated crescent dough sheet (or if the sheet isn't available, buy crescent rolls and use a rolling pin to help them stick together in a rectangle).
- It helps to take the cream cheese out in advance and soften it. This will help all the ingredients combine evenly and be nice and creamy.
- For a little added sparkle and texture, beat a Tablespoon or two of water into an egg and brush it over the braided pastry and then sprinkle with turbinado sugar before baking.
- I find the easiest way to trim the edges of the dough into the strips you'll braid is by using a sharp pizza cutter. But if you don't have one, just use a sharp knife.
Is a Danish a donut?
No. While they're both breakfast pastries, danishes are typically baked while donuts are often fried, although also sometimes bake. Donuts are usually a different shape and not all pastry used in donuts contains yeast.
What if I don't like almond flavor?
You can substitute with the same amount of vanilla extract or any other flavored pure extract of your choice.
What can I do if I forget to soften the cream cheese in advance?
It's totally ok, just place the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and zap it for 30 seconds - 1 minute to soften and whipe it extra well.
How long do Danish pastries last?
Around 3-4 days covered in the refrigerator.
Ingredients for making this Cheese Danish recipe
- Refrigerated crescent rolls sheet
- Eggs
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Almond extract
- Turbinado sugar
Helpful tools:
Super Quick Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 package refrigerated crescent roll sheet (or use a rolling pin to adhere crescent rolls together into a rectangle)
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1-2 teaspoons Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment, set aside.
- In a the bowl of your mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer) mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar and almond extract until smooth and well combined, scrapping down the sides as you go. Set aside.
- Place the crescent sheet onto the lined sheet pan and slightly flatten it (you don't want it too thin).
- Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut 1 inch strips about 1 ½ inches into each side, leaving around 3-4 inches of dough uncut on the inside.
- Place the cream cheese mixture down the center where the dough is not cut.
- Take the strips and fold them over each other, pressing lightly in the middle to create the braid.
- Fold the ends in to hold in the filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg and water together to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the egg wash over the braided pastry and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake uncovered for around 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool for 10 minutes and then slice and serve immediately.
If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @thelifejolie so I can share it <3
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