For over 20 years, I’ve baked this quick, easy, and super delicious cream cheese danish. Interestingly enough, I got this recipe from the same friend I got the oatmeal dinner roll recipe from. Just like that recipe, this one has proven to be a keeper.
Now, can I admit that we’ve had this for a breakfast dessert for years?! I don’t know, is a danish supposed to be for dessert or breakfast? But I shamelessly admit that we have only ever had this cream cheese danish for breakfast.
In fact, this danish is so yummy it is the birthday breakfast request for several family members. The other popular birthday breakfast request at our house is my homemade cinnamon rolls, and everyone loves my cinnamon streusel coffee cake, so I guess it should be no surprise that we are fans of sweet breakfast treats.
There are just a few ingredients in this danish, and the crescent rolls (a rare buy) are a definite shortcut that’s worthwhile.
Dough Arrangement for Cream Cheese Danish
Over the years, I’ve improved the look of this danish and now prefer to buy the crescent roll tubes that are sheets rather than rolls.
You’ll notice for this posting, I used normal crescent rolls. You can do this too but will have to be more diligent about pinching the precut perforations while you are braiding your dough.
Also, I recommend you use parchment paper or a silicone mat on your cookie sheet to bake. By using either parchment or a silicone mat, you do not have to contend with the lip of your pan while you prepare your dough for braiding. Simply remove your paper or mat from the pan with the dough spread, lightly dust the dough with flour, and roll it to the correct dimensions, roughly 8 X 14 inches.
Next, you will cut strips on your dough every 1 inch along the long side of your dough. Your strips should be cut at least 2 inches. As you can see from my picture below, some of my cuts go longer toward the center of the dough. The danish is very forgiving so this isn’t a big deal if you get a little “cut-happy” too.
After spreading your cream cheese filling, you will want to create a sort of boat on the short ends of your pastry.
Then you will braid away until all your strips are covering the center cream cheese.
You’ll want to bake the danish until the dough is a light golden brown.
Immediately after baking, you can evenly sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar.
Now if you want a GORGEOUS-looking danish, I suggest you drizzle a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze over the top. But to be honest, we prefer the simpler cinnamon/sugar sprinkle that is in the recipe below.
If there are any leftovers, be sure to refrigerate them. This danish is best eaten warm so heat any leftover danish in the microwave for 15 seconds before you indulge.
Quick, Easy, & Delicious Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese room temperature
- ½ c. all-purpose flour
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tube crescent rolls
Cinnamon/Sugar Sprinkle
- ⅛ c. granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Mix cream cheese, flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Prepare a cookie sheet with non-stick spray or line the pan with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Unroll the crescent rolls, leaving them all joined. You may also use the sheet dough.
- Lightly dust the crescent roll dough with flour and roll it out slightly with a rolling pin so the dough is about 10 inches wide by 14 inches long.
- With a pizza cutter or knife, cut strips along the length of the dough. Your cuts should be about an inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the center of the arranged dough.
- Starting with one end of the dough, pull each strip down to rest along the cream cheese mixture. Do this to both ends.
- Alternate left and right strips to braid the dough down across the center of the cream cheese filling. Tuck any strips that stick out
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough is light golden brown.
- While baking, mix cinnamon and sugar sprinkle ingredients together.
- Once the danish is removed from the oven, sprinkle them with cinnamon/sugar.
- This is danish is best enjoyed warm.
