Apple Cheese Danish Bars are a quick and easy dessert that is perfect any occasion! Sweetened cream cheese and apple pie filling layered between two sheets of crescent dough create a luscious treat that your family is sure to love!
You may think that making dessert is not something that you have time for during the week and often that’s the case! This Apple Cheese Danish Bars recipe is so easy to put together and takes only minutes to bake, that it really can be made any day of the week!
What is a Cheese Danish?
Traditionally a Danish pastry is usually a yeast dough that is a variation of puff pastry. It is often rolled and folded to create many layers. It can be formed into various shapes and packed with fillings of your choice such as fruits, custards or cream cheese.
In this recipe, instead of the traditional Danish pastry dough, we have made it with store bought crescent rolls to make it extra quick and easy (although it’s amazing with easy stove top homemade Apple Pie Filling too)!
I skip the rolling and the shaping and make it into bars to simply slice and serve. So easy right?
How do I make Cream Cheese Danish Bars?
It really could not be any easier!
Simply line the bottom of a baking pan with half of the crescent rolls and top with the prepared cream cheese mixture. Add in your fruit filling and top with the remaining crescent rolls.
Drizzle with butter (and sugar if desired) and bake! Seriously so easy, just minutes of prep are needed!
What fillings can go in Cheese Danish Bars?
Of course apple pie filling is amazing but you can use ANY kind of pie filling! Blueberry, strawberry, rhubarb…and of course you can make a yummy cherry cheese danish! The possibilities are endless!
If you’re not a fruit lover, you can skip the fruity part and just have simple cheese danish bars!
I love the flavor combination of apples and cream cheese and add a simple cinnamon sugar topping for a sweet crust (combine 3 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon). If you’d like to create a glaze to make more of a traditional cheese danish topping, it’s easy to make!
How to Make Glaze for a Cheese Danish
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients except milk in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Add milk until the glaze reaches desired consistency. (You may not need all of the milk).
- Drizzle over danish with a spoon.
Whether you’re having afternoon coffee or would like a quick easy dessert mid week, this Apple Cream Cheese Danish Bars recipe is definitely your go to! A perfect combination of flavors in a quick and easy recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls divided
- 1 can apple pie filling or homemade
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar optional
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Grease and 8 x 8 baking dish
- Roll out ½ of the crescent rolls onto the bottom of the dish.
- Blend the cream cheese in a medium bowl till very smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend.
- Spoon cream cheese mixture onto the crescent rolls. Top with the apple pie filling and the last half of the crescent rolls.
- Pour melted butter over top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if using.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and drizzle with glaze if desired.
Glaze
- Combine all ingredients except milk in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Add milk until the glaze reaches desired consistency. (You may not need all of the milk).
- Drizzle over danish with a spoon.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Thank you for this recipe! Absolutely loved the ease of preparation. Didn’t have apple pie filling but did have a can of Musselmans Fried Apples with homestyle spices which I used in place of .(chopped the apples very fine ). Mmmm,mmm delish! Thank you once again!
Karen, we are happy to hear that the recipe was easy and delicious. Thank you for commenting, and have a great day!