cinnamon roll cheese danish
These simple-to-make cinnamon roll danish start with just a few ingredients you probably have in your pantry now. Store bought puff pastry, cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon all make for a deliciously classic weekend morning treat.
cinnamon roll + cheese danish = delicious.
I have a pretty sick obsession with breakfast pastries. There’s nothing I love more than sugar first thing in the morning. I am seriously considering writing a book dedicated to breakfast pastries because I believe they are superior.
I say all of that because I want you to trust me when I say this may be the best quick and easy danish recipe you make this Fall. I’m serious.
It captures the essence of both a flaky puff pastry and the gooey, sweet and spicy center of a plush cinnamon roll. You will eat one and immediately go for another.
prepare bakery-style treats in under an hour.
These danish come together quickly in the morning. I like to thaw the puff pastry in the fridge the night before, and prep the cream cheese filling. The next day, I make the quick cinnamon roll filling, assemble the pastries, bake, glaze and devour.
suggested tools for making this recipe:
- Electric hand mixer optional.
- Large whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 2 13″ x 18″ baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silpat
- Paring knife
- Small palette knife for spreading the cream cheese filling (may use back of spoon instead).
- Piping bags with tips optional, may also use sandwich bag with cut corner, or spoon.
ingredients
- Frozen Puff Pastry
- Cane Sugar optional.
- Egg and egg yolk
- Milk
- Cream Cheese
- Salted Butter
- Ground Cinnamon
- Light Brown Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Sea and or Kosher Salt
- Confectioner’s Sugar
- Heavy Cream for glaze, may substitute milk or water.
step by step: the process
Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
To a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and two tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar. Beat together using an electric hand mixer (or whisk with some arm strength) just until the cream cheese is light and whipped.
Add in the yolk, vanilla extract and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix on medium speed just until the filling is smooth, creamy and free of lumps. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, and place into the fridge until ready to use.
- Prepare Ahead Tip: The cream cheese mixture can absolutely be made in advance. Cover it securely and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Prepare the Cinnamon Roll Filling
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, 75 grams of light brown sugar, pinch of salt, cinnamon and pure vanilla extract. Combine well using a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and easily spreadable.
Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip, or plastic bag if desired, until ready to use.
Prepare the Puff Pastry
Preheat your oven to 375 F/190 C.
Unfold one sheet of thawed but cool puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Use a knife or pastry cutter to slice the dough into 4 equal parts. Carefully transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry.
Gently score each piece of dough using a small paring knife to create a ½ ” border around each pastry. The center of the border is where we will put all the fillings. Prick the centers of the pastry with a fork.
Whisk together an egg with a tablespoon of milk or water, and apply the egg wash to the outer border edges of each pastry. Sprinkle the edges with cane sugar if desired.
Assemble the Danish
Fill each puff pastry center with cream cheese filling first. Each pastry can take up to 2 tablespoons worth of filling. Use a palette knife to gently spread the filling toward the inner edges of the border.
Next, pipe a swirl of cinnamon roll filling on top of the cream cheese, starting from the center and working your way out. Only top the cream cheese portion – too much filling, and it will overflow as it bakes.
If you do not wish to use a piping bag, simply dollop a spoonful of cinnamon roll filling onto the cream cheese, and use the tip of a butter knife to gently swirl it in.
Bake the Puff Pastries
Bake the danish at 375 F/190 C for 20-22 minutes, depending on your oven. 20 minutes is usually the sweet spot for me. The pastries will be golden brown around the edges when ready.
Allow the danish to cool on a wire rack while preparing the glaze.
Make the Glaze
I’d like to start this section by saying you absolutely do not need to glaze these danish! You can dust them with powdered sugar, or enjoy them straight out of the oven, depending on your preferred level of sweetness.
I do prefer the glaze, though. 🙂
To a medium bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and vanilla extract. Whisk together well, and test the consistency. It should be thick with an even flow as it runs, and not too runny. If it’s too runny, adjust with more sugar. Too thick? Add more heavy cream.
Drizzle the danish liberally with the glaze and eat with a huge smile because they’re damn delicious and you did that.
Cinnamon Roll Cheese Danish
Equipment
- 2 13" x 18" sheet pans
- parchment paper or silpat
- 1 Electric Hand Mixer optional
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 small knife for scoring
- 1 small palette knife optional
- piping bags optional
- piping tips optional
Ingredients
Puff Pastry
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed, but cool
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar optional
Cream Cheese Filling
- 168 grams cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 large egg yolk
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 55 grams salted butter softened
- 75 grams light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Icing
- 120 grams confectioner's sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and two tablespoons of confectioner's sugar just until the cream cheese is light and whipped.
- Add in the yolk, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and mix on medium speed just until the filling is smooth, creamy and free of lumps. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, or set aside until ready to use.
Make the Cinnamon Roll Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, 75 grams of light brown sugar, pinch of salt, cinnamon and pure vanilla extract well using a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and easily spreadable.
- Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip, or plastic bag if desired, until ready to use.
Prepare the Puff Pastry
- In a small mug or bowl, whisk together well the egg and tablespoon of milk. Set aside.
- Make sure the puff pastry is thawed but cool (I usually thaw my dough in the fridge the night before).
- Onto a parchment lined sheet pan, unroll the sheet of puff pastry. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 4 even squares.
- Score each square gently with a knife and create a small border, about a ½ inch or so from the edges. Be sure to not penetrate all the way through, we just want to create a pocket for our filling. Prick the centers of the pastry with a fork.
- Brush the edges of the puff pastry squares with the egg wash. Sprinkle liberally with coarse cane sugar if desired.
- Repeat with the remaining puff pastry.
Fill the Puff Pastry
- Using a piping bag or a spoon, fill each puff pastry center with the cream cheese mixture.
- Use a small palette or butter knife to gently spread the filling just to the edge of the inner border.
- Next, using either a piping bag with a small piping tip, or a sandwich bag with one of the corners cut, pipe a generous swirl of the cinnamon filling onto the cream cheese. Do not exceed the edges of the cream cheese filling.
- Bake the pastries in a preheated oven at 375 ℉/190 ℃ for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway for even baking and browning.
- Allow the pastries to cool on a wire rack after baking and prepare the glaze.
Prepare the Glaze
- To a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar and heavy cream.
- Whisk together well until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Adjust the thickness and runinnes of the glaze with more heavy cream or confectioner's sugar if desired, and be sure to taste.
- Drizzle the glaze over the danishes and enjoy!