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!
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.
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.