You only need 5 ingredients to make the most delicious Apple Danish! In this recipe, puff pastry dough is topped with apple pie filling and baked to golden brown, then drizzled with icing for the perfect sweet finish. Serve the danish for breakfast, brunch or dessert!

apple danish on marble serving tray

Table of contents

There’s nothing better than sweet, warm cinnamon apples, surrounded by a flaky, buttery puff pasty crust. It’s sugary sweet comfort food in the palm of your hand, perfect for a late autumn brunch, Christmas breakfast or holiday party treat.

Every year for Christmas breakfast my Mom would purchase a pastry ring from Panera Bread. It was a simple way to start the day and included three different fillings, apple, cherry and cream cheese. Last year when we purchased the pastry ring, the apple filling was missing and I was so disappointed because it was my favorite part!

Luckily this year, I won’t have that problem, because I’ll be making my own apple danish at home. If you also love the cherry and cream cheese filling, you can definitely make a variety of danishes for everyone to share!

This apple danish recipe is so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be making it over and over again!

apple danish ingredients on wood board

Ingredients

  • Puff pastry dough – I love how easy it is to find pre-made puff pastry dough sheets at the grocery store in the freezer section. It makes this recipe so easy to make in no time at all! Just don’t forget to thaw the puff pastry! Remove the sheets from the freezer, and the packaging, to allow them to defrost for at least 30 minutes before starting this recipe.
  • Apple pie filling – for this recipe, you can purchase canned apple pie filling or use my easy apple pie filling recipe, linked above. It only takes 15 minutes to make and you can use the fresh apples of your choice to make the filling more sweet or tart.
  • Egg – a whisked egg, brushed over the puff pastry dough, before the danishes are baked helps them form a delicious, flakey golden brown crust.
  • Powdered sugar + milk – if you’d like to make the icing to drizzle over the danish for added sweetness, you’ll need 1/2 cup powdered sugar (also called confectioners sugar) and 1 tablespoon milk.

Instructions

I’ve included step by step photos below to make this apple danish recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

sheet of puff pastry dough rolled out on cutting board
sheet of puff pastry dough cut into 4 squares on cutting board
puff pastry sheet of dough on cutting board, topped with apple pie filling
four uncooked apple danish on parchment paper
four uncooked apple danish brushed with egg wash on parchment paper
powdered sugar icing in glass bowl with spoon
  1. Flour a work surface, such as a large cutting board or clean countertops. Lay each sheet of puff pastry dough out and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle.
  2. Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet of puff pastry dough into 4 squares.
  3. Place 1/2 cup apple pie filling in the middle of each square of dough.
  4. Fold the corners of the dough into the middle, over the apple pie filling and pinch in the corners of the dough. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Whisk one egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg all over the top of the puff pastry dough of each danish. Place the danish in a 400°F preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
  6. While the danishes bake in the oven, stir powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl to make the icing. When the danishes come out of the oven, drizzle the icing over each apple danish.

Tips for success

  • Make sure to thaw the puff pastry before starting the recipe! Remove the puff pastry sheets from the packaging and allow them to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Always make sure the apple pie filling is cool before adding it to the recipe. If you’re making homemade apple pie filling, allow it to cool to room temperature before making this recipe.
  • Always preheat the oven! Adding the danishes to a cold oven means they won’t cook evenly and you won’t get that wonderful flakey, golden brown crust on the outside.
apple danish on plate with fork

Substitutions and additions

  • Make cherry danish – use cherry pie filling, instead of apple pie filling to make a cherry danish, or make half with the apple pie filing and half with the cherry pie filling to try both!
  • Add a streusel topping – combine 2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cold butter and use your hands to to mix the streusel into a coarse crumble. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of streusel over each danish before baking.
  • Use crescent roll dough – replace the puff pastry dough with two 8 ounce sheets of crescent roll dough. This will make the danish similar to this Blueberry Pastry recipe.
  • Add cream cheese – Spread 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese in the middle of the pastry, before adding the apple pie filling, to make a cream cheese apple danish.
  • Make mini apple danish – instead of cutting each puff pastry sheet into 4 squares, cut each sheet into 8 squares. Top each smaller square with 1/4 cup apple pie filling, fold in the puff pastry dough over the filling, brush with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes, to make 16 mini apple danishes.

How to store and reheat

  • To store: the danishes can stay at room temperature for up to 8 hours after they’re baked. After this time, they should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to stay fresh. You can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • To reheat in an air fryer: I love reheating these danishes in an air fryer. It warms the filling while crisping up the puff pastry dough on the outside. In the air fryer, reheat the danish at 400°F for 5 minutes.
  • To reheat in the oven: place the danish on a baking sheet and into a 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
  • To reheat in the microwave: place the danish on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for 30 seconds.
baked apple danishes on marble serving tray

More puff pastry recipes

Try these other popular recipes made with pre-made puff pastry dough!

Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Puff Pastry

Baked Brie Puff Pastry Bites

Apple Strudel with Brie

Beef Wellington

Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Butternut Squash Sausage Strudel
cooked apple danish on marble serving tray
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Apple Danish

You only need 5 ingredients to make the most delicious Apple Danish! In this recipe, puff pastry dough is topped with apple pie filling and baked to golden brown, then drizzled with icing for the perfect sweet finish. Serve the danish for breakfast, brunch or dessert!
Servings: 8 danishes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Be sure to thaw the puff pastry dough before starting the recipe. Remove the sheets from the freezer, and the packaging, to allow them to defrost for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Flour a work surface, such as a large cutting board or clean countertops. Lay each sheet of puff pastry dough out and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle.
  • Cut each sheet of puff pastry dough into 4 squares.
  • Fill the middle of each square of dough with ½ cup apple pie filling.
  • Fold the corners of the dough into the middle, over the apple pie filling and pinch in the corners of the dough.
  • Transfer the danishes to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Whisk one egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg all over the top of the puff pastry dough of each danish.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • While the danishes are baking in the oven, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl.
  • Use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the danishes when they come out of the oven.

Video

Notes

  • To make a cherry danish – use cherry pie filling, instead of apple pie filling, or make half with the apple pie filing and half with the cherry pie filling to try both!
  • To add a streusel topping – combine 2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cold butter and use your hands to to mix the streusel into a coarse crumble. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of streusel over each danish before baking.
  • Use crescent roll dough – replace the puff pastry dough with two 8 ounce sheets of crescent roll dough.
  • Add cream cheese – spread 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese in the middle of the pastry, before adding the apple pie filling, to make a cream cheese apple danish.
  • Make mini apple danish – instead of cutting each puff pastry sheet into 4 squares, cut each sheet into 8 squares. Top each smaller square with 1/4 cup apple pie filling, fold in the puff pastry dough over the filling, brush with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes, to make 16 mini apple danishes.
  • To store: the danishes can stay at room temperature for up to 8 hours after they’re baked. After this time, they should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to stay fresh. You can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • To reheat in an air fryer: place the danish in an air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes.
  • To reheat in the oven: place the danish on a baking sheet and into a 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
  • To reheat in the microwave: place the danish on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for 30 seconds.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 494kcal (25%)Carbohydrates 66g (22%)Protein 5g (10%)Fat 24g (37%)Saturated Fat 6g (30%)Polyunsaturated Fat 3gMonounsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 21mg (7%)Sodium 217mg (9%)Potassium 101mg (3%)Fiber 2g (8%)Sugar 24g (27%)Vitamin A 62mg (1%)Vitamin C 2mg (2%)Calcium 16mg (2%)Iron 2mg (11%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!

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