Easy Cheese Danish Bars
A simple yet impressive breakfast pastry or dessert made with refrigerated crescent roll dough. A creamy, sweet cheese filling is baked between two layers of flaky dough and finished with a simple sweet glaze.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 55 min
- Serves
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Per serving
- 332 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
base
- 454 grefrigerated crescent roll dough, from 2 (8-ounce) cans
filling
- 454 gcream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 0.5 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 pcslarge egg
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchsalt
glaze
- 1 cuppowdered sugar
- 2 tbspmilk
Equipment
spatula · wire rack · mixing bowl · electric mixer · knife · whisk · 9x13 inch baking dish
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
About 2 min
- 2
Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the prepared dish, pinching the seams together to form a solid crust.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Don't worry about making it perfect; just ensure there are no large gaps.
- 3
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Starting with room temperature cream cheese is key to a lump-free filling.
- 4
Add the granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and salt to the cream cheese.
About 1 min
- 5
Beat the mixture until it is well combined, smooth, and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
About 1 min
- 6
Pour the cream cheese filling over the dough base and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
About 1 min
- 7
Unroll the second can of crescent dough and carefully place it over the filling, stretching it gently to cover the surface from edge to edge.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: It's okay if the top dough sheet isn't perfect; it will puff up during baking.
- 8
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is puffed and a deep golden brown.
About 25 min
- 9
Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before glazing.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Cooling prevents the glaze from melting and becoming too thin.
- 10
While the danish cools, prepare the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl until smooth.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: If the glaze is too thick, add more milk a few drops at a time. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- 11
Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top of the cooled danish.
About 1 min
- 12
Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
About 5 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 331.7kcal
- Protein
- 5.5g
- Carbs
- 38.2g
- Fat
- 17.6g
- Fibre
- 1.1g
- Sugar
- 22.5g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy chilled from the fridge or warm gently in a microwave or toaster oven.