How to Make It
Prepare the Filling
Add all the cream cheese filling ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth and blended. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the dough. Reserve the egg white for an optional egg wash.
If you find the filling too loose, try using lemon zest instead of lemon juice — it adds the same bright lemony flavor without adding extra liquid, which can cause the filling to overflow during baking.
Prepare the Dough
Place the dough (do not unroll) on a flat surface and cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each.
Flatten the Dough
Press each piece into a flat round using a small round-bottom bowl. Swirl the bowl gently to flatten the dough, making the center slightly thinner than the edges.
This is important because the thinner center crisps up nicely under the filling, while the thicker edges puff up around it and hold everything in place during baking.
Egg Wash
Beat the reserved egg white until smooth and lightly brush the edges of each dough round — egg yolk is the more traditional egg wash for a deeper golden color, but using the leftover white keeps things simple and still gives the edges a nice sheen.
Add the Filling
Add a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling to the center, spreading it slightly but keeping it away from the edges, then top with a small spoonful of orange marmalade or your preferred fruit preserve.
Bake the Pastries
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12–14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Glaze and Serve
(Optional) While the pastries cool, combine the glaze ingredients in a measuring cup and mix until smooth. Drizzle over the pastries before serving.
Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Danish
Ingredients
- ½ cup whipped cream cheese
- 1 egg yolk (use the egg white for an egg wash)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice or zest
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 can crescent rolls (Pillsbury Butter Flake Crescent Rolls)
- ½ tbsp orange marmalade per piece (or any fruit preserve of choice)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp milk
Instructions
- Whisk together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth, then chill briefly.
- Cut the crescent roll dough into pieces without unrolling, gently press each into a round with a thinner center and slightly raised edges.
- Fill with the cream cheese mixture and a spoonful of fruit preserves.
- Bake at 375°F for 12–14 minutes until golden, then cool slightly and drizzle with powdered sugar glaze before serving.
Leave a Comment