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!
Apple Cheese Danish Bars
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.
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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
Cuisine American
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I’ve just finished my first attempt at this recipe it’s in the oven now. I’m hoping it turns out ok because I had trouble stretching the dough to fit my 9×9 pan so it didn’t fit to the edges. Same with the second half I stretched it as thin as possible as it was breaking. If it turns out well I will (as one lady had mentioned in a review) use 2 cans of crescent rolls if I make the recipe again. My family loves your recipes and I love that they are simple to make with easily available ingredients.
I hope you loved it, Jane!
I have made these twice and feel that I must be doing something wrong. They taste INCREDIBLE, but the top crescent roll is always a little “stretchy”. What am I doing wrong? I have done this with putting the butter on before baking and putting it on the last few minutes. I want to get these right.
I am sorry to hear that Brandi. I have not had that issue so I can’t say for sure what’s happening. Maybe another reader has and can offer some advice.
Do you think you could use puff pastry sheets? I like the simple method of layering that you used. Looking forward to trying this weekend for guests.
Hi JE, we haven’t tried making this recipe with puff pastry but it should work. Just be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly, puff pastry might take less time than crescent rolls.
We don’t have crescent frozen rolls here in Australia, can I use short pastry thank you .
Hi Lynn, you can use homemade crescent rolls in this recipe too! Short pastry might not hold up as well in this recipe but you can definitely try it, they just might be a little more flakey then intended. You could also a pie dough instead!
love all the recipes, some of them use ingredients that I already have. The recipes r easy to understand.
A Thank You for all of them.
Is there a brand of apple pie filling & cherry pie filling you would recommendmmend?
Any brand will work just fine in this recipe Dana!
It was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing.
This recipe looks so good. I’m excited to make it. Believe it or not, every store I went to was out of crescent rolls. I can make them from scratch, though. Can you please recommend a good recipe that would work well for this desert?
Hi Francesca, we have this delicious homemade crescent roll recipe that should work well for you!
So easy and delicious! First time I’ve cooked apples. Will be making again!
So happy to hear this recipe worked out well for you, Melissa!
Some parts are not clear. Put glaze over top crust or apple and no Temp to bake
Marline, in step 1 we “Preheat oven to 375°F”. For the glaze section, step 3 says “Drizzle over danish with a spoon.” Hope that helps. Enjoy the recipe!
I used a can of crescent roll dough for top and one for bottom as I do not like a lot of filling I covered the top in cinnamon sugar and omg this recipe is a keeper!!
Made these (w/out glaze) per recipe. First, just brush a small amount of butter on top, recipe called for too much. These are unbelievably good and so easy!!! Look forward to making these a lot and using different fruits
So happy you enjoyed them Amy!
could this recipe be doubled successfully?
Yes you can double the recipe but you will need to bake it in two separate pans. Enjoy Ellie!
Thank you for this recipe. It is very good. I made it for my cousins. I think we each had two! Then, after they left, I ate the rest. This time I would like to make them for my friend Karen who is taking me to the airport. We have to be there very early in the morning ; is there a way to make these ahead of time? When I made these for my cousins, I made them that day. If you know of a different recipe, please tell me. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed these! They can be made the day before if you’d like!
Hi, greetings from Australia!! What can I use as a substitute for crescent rolls, as they are not available here. I would love to make your recipe for apple cheese Danish bars. Here’s hoping you have a suggestion!! Vivien
I have only made this recipe as written. You could try a sweet scone dough Vivien.
Hello Holly
Have you tried the Insta pot yet
I am thinking of getting one not sure if i want the ultra or the Duo plus 6quart if you have any advice or suggestions i would really appreciate it.
Have a Wonderful Week
Deborah
Yes, we’ve been using the Instant Pot and loving it! I suggest you check the features and pick the one that has things that you’ll actually use on it. You can’t go wrong with either! You should try my favorite Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Instant Pot Ribs! Give them a try! Or for a change of pace, you could try Instant Pot Chicken Tacos. So easy and we love them!
I can not wait to try this, looks delish and easy.
Girl, I think you just took the cheese danish to a whole new level! Loving that decadent apple pie filling.
So yummy Claire!