Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Danish

A crescent roll cream cheese Danish comes together quickly using crescent roll dough. A sweet cream cheese filling encased by flaky pastry is an easy weekend breakfast treat!

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Ingredients

2 packages crescent roll pastry dough sheets , or regular ones
2 Tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese , softened
¼ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon juice and zest
½ teaspoon vanilla

Glaze (optional)

½ cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make filling: Combine 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth.
Lay out dough: Unroll the pastry sheets. You will need 8 rectangles, so press the perforations of two triangles together to form each rectangle.
Brush on butter and brown sugar: Spoon or brush about a teaspoon of melted butter on each rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar.
Roll up dough: Roll up each rectangle lengthwise and pinch together the edges gently. Coil the dough log into a circle. Gently press an indentation in the middle of each roll, using your fingers. Place on prepared cookie sheet.
Fill: Place about 1 Tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough.
Bake: Bake cheese danishes in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Let cool on a cooling rack.
Glaze: Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons cream and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle on top of cooled danishes.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 2 months.

Variation: Add a spoonful of jam or fresh berries to the center for a different flavor variation.

Nutrition