Easy Apple & Cheese Danishes (video)

The easiest and most delicious apple and cheese Danishes made with store-bought puff pastry dough, apple pie filling, and creamy cream cheese filling. These buttery and flaky apple pastries are an instant hit! They make for a great last-minute Thanksgiving dessert and are fantastic for fall! You’ll love the incredible combination of flavors and textures.  

Watch My Apple Danishes Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube apple and cheese Danishes video tutorial for step-by-step instructions and see just how easy these apple pastries are to make! Want to stay up to date on my newest recipes? Subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel for notifications.

Ingredients for Easy Apple & Cheese Danishes

Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need to make these buttery and delicious cheese Danishes! Find the full list of ingredients in the printable recipe card below.

• French Puff Pastry – my favorite brand is DuFour (I get mine at Whole Foods), but any brand of pre-made puff pastry will work great for this recipe. Defrost the pastry in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
• Apples – I typically use Honey Crisp apples for baking since they’re crispy and sweet; however, just about any variety of apple will work great for this recipe.
• Cream Cheese – soften the cheese at room temperature about 45 minutes ahead of time. Mascarpone cheese will also work well for this recipe.
• Ground Cinnamon
• Vanilla – I love to use vanilla bean paste for this recipe, but regular vanilla extract will also work well.
• Light Brown Sugar – for making the apple pie filling. Regular white sugar will also work if you don’t have brown sugar.  

Using Puff Pastry for the Danishes

I love this recipe for apple and cheese Danishes because it uses store-bought dough. It’s a huge time saver, making this a great, last-minute dessert!

• Defrost the puff pastry for at least 45 minutes at room temperature. It needs to be just defrosted, but not too soft or warm.
• If the dough gets too warm, place it into the refrigerator for about 1 hour to chill; otherwise, the dough will be difficult to handle.

Preparing the Apple Pie Filling

You’ll love the combination of sweet and cinnamon-y apple pie filling combined with the cheese filling for this pastry recipe! This apple pie filling is super easy to make, too!

1. Prepare the apple pie filling first as it needs to cool. Peel, then finely dice the apples and place them into a small saucepan.
2. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and water. Stir to combine the ingredients.
3. Cook the apples over medium heat for about 18 to 22 minutes. Keep the pan covered for the first 10 minutes, then uncover and cook the apples until they’re tender and the liquids have evaporated.
4. Remove the apple pie filling from heat and place into the fridge to cool.

Preparing the Cream Cheese Filling

While the apple pie filling is cooling, you can start preparing the cream cheese filling.

1. For the cheese filling, place the softened cream cheese into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Beat the cheese with a mixer for a few minutes, until it’s creamy and smooth.
2. Next, add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and sea salt. Mix again for a few minutes until the filling is smooth.

Assembling & Shaping the Cheese Danishes

Once the apple pie filling has cooled, you can start assembling the pastries.

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or use silicon mats. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Unwrap the puff pastry and place onto your work surface. Use a rolling pin to gently shape the dough into a slightly larger rectangle, making the dough thinner.
3. Spread the prepared cream cheese filling evenly to all the edges. Top with the cooled apple pie filling, spreading it evenly to the edges.
4. Unwrap the second sheet of puff pastry on the side and shape/roll into the same sized rectangle. Transfer the second sheet of puff pastry onto the first sheet, pinching the dough around the edges.
5. Use a bench scraper or a flat knife to score then cut the dough vertically into 1-inch-thick strips.
6. If the dough is stuck to your work surface, use a bench scraper or spatula and slide it underneath each strip to get it unstuck.
7. Gently stretch each strip of dough until it’s almost doubled in length, then twist the dough from both sides. Shape the twisted dough into a bun, tucking the tail-end underneath.
8. Place the shaped pastries onto the prepared baking sheet. Beat together the egg and water in a small bowl, then use a pastry brush to apply to the pastries, coating them generously.

Baking Instructions for Apple Cheese Danishes

Bake the apple cheese Danishes at 350°F for 23 to 25 minutes until the tops start to turn golden. Lay a large sheet of foil over the pastries and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, until the pastries are golden brown and baked through.

Total baking time is around 45 to 50 minutes. Bake one baking sheet of pastries at a time on the middle oven rack.

Serving & Storing Suggestions

Once the pastries are done baking, let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.

You can enjoy these apple pastries right away while they’re still warm with coffee or tea. Store any leftover pastries in a sealed container or bag at room temperature.

If you want to freeze leftover pastries for later, make sure they are completely cooled, then wrap each pastry individually with plastic wrap and place into a ziplock freezer bag.

More Recipes to Try!

Enjoyed this easy and delicious pastry recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to love!

• Apple Pie Cream Cheese Buns – soft and fluffy buns filled with apple pie filling, cream cheese, with streusel topping! These are so good!
• Honey Pistachio Baklava Rolls – another easy puff pastry recipe with pistachios and honey glaze.
• Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls – fluffy and soft rolls topped with cream cheese icing.
• Apple Pie Trifles – super easy deconstructed apple pie in a cup, with whipped cream and caramel sauce!
• Glazed Apple Fritters – the best fall treat! Fluffy and delicious apple donuts with a hint of cinnamon.

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