Author: Susanne at Dish With Me
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This Easy Cream Cheese Danish is creamy, indulgent, super easy to make and way better than any store bought Danish!
I think you’re going to LOVE this! It is not something I serve all the time, but it is a very nice treat to enjoy on occasion. I haven’t met anyone yet that doesn’t like it. Actually, everyone LOVES it.
AND…to make it even better, it can double as a breakfast recipe or a dessert recipe!!! How cool is that??? I KNOW!!! As a matter of fact, this would be a nice dessert after my Everything But The Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad.
As for the jam, it is just a matter of preference. Some people I have talked to about it prefer a full cup. They like it good and sweet. For me, I think I prefer it just a little less sweet, so I use between half and three quarters of a cup…more on the half cup side. Like I said, that just depends on how big your sweet tooth is. AND, if you would rather, you can omit the jam altogether, if you prefer it even less sweet.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR EASY PEASY CREAM CHEESE DANISH
If you use spray in the baking dish instead of butter, make sure it is a spray that is neutral in flavor, like vegetable oil. I love extra virgin olive oil, but I am positive the flavor would not marry well with this dish. I use this baking dish (paid link) because I think it’s pretty. As a matter of fact, I’m going to order the pie pans, too.
Leave crescent roll containers refrigerated until ready to use.
Use whatever flavor jam you like. I love it with the Bonne Maman Four Fruits Preserves from Costco. It has strawberries, cherries, redcurrants and raspberries. Some even prefer lemon curd.
I put the jam in a small microwavable bowl and heat for about 30 to 45 seconds, just enough so that I can drizzle it over the cream cheese, rather than big dollops. It feels more evenly distributed this way.
Refrigerate left-overs.
EASY CREAM CHEESE DANISH
Ingredients
- DANISH
- 2 packages crescent rolls
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese softened
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/2-1 cup jam of your choice, or lemon curd
- EGG WASH
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- GLAZE
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Set the cream cheese out ahead of time to allow to come to room temperature.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F
- Spray (with a neutral flavored non-stick spray) or butter a 9×13 inch casserole pan.
- Remove crescent roll sheet from container and lay it in the dish, making sure to pat dough out to the edges.
- With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, egg and egg white until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crescent rolls.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, warm the jam for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Drizzle the jam on top of the cream cheese. Run a butter knife through the jam to spread the jam throughout the cream cheese mixture.
- Place the 2nd package of crescent rolls onto a counter top or cutting board. Gently roll out large enough to fit on top of the casserole pan.
- Top the cream cheese/jam mixture with the second crescent roll.
- With a fork, beat egg white and milk.
- Brush egg wash to the top of the crescent roll.
- Place in pre-heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Just until lightly browned.
- After baking, let cool for about 15 minutes and then drizzle with the glaze.