These delicious cranberry danishes are everything I ever dreamed they would be. Made with my own homemade Cranberry Apple Butter and the dough from my Butter Croissant Recipe, these delicious morsels of flaky goodness are all about making an impression.

What’s the difference between danish pastry and croissant dough?

Very little, actually. Both are made with a similar profile of ingredients and both are laminated doughs. Danish pastry, as I have made it, is often made with a little less butter than croissant dough, and you may find that some recipes are enriched with egg or a bit of sugar as well. Croissant dough is typically a little more simple.

The main way they differ is the end result. Croissants are shaped in the classic crescent shape, and they are typically meant to be served as a bread/roll option alongside sweet or savoury foods. Danishes, on the other hand, are usually filled with a sweet fruit or cheese filling, and they are finished with a sweet glaze. For this recipe, I am using a croissant dough instead of a traditional danish pastry, but I’m dressing up it more like a classic danish.

What are danishes?

Danishes are a sweet pastry originating in Denmark, usually filled with fruit or a sweet cream cheese filling. They come in various shapes and sizes and are often served as a sweet breakfast option, particularly in North America.

Can these danishes be made ahead of time?

Yes! There are a few of ways to do this.

1. Prep the ingredients ahead of time.
   The apple butter can be made well in advance, and the croissant dough can be made and left in the fridge for up to 12 hours before you use it.
2. Freeze and re-heat.
   You can fully prepare this recipe and freeze the danishes, re-warming them in the oven when you need them. For this option, I usually just don’t let them brown as much (but make sure they are baked through). Once cool, I freeze the danishes in an airtight container, and then throw them back into the oven for 5-8 minutes at 375 degrees F to warm up and re-crisp.
3. Use puff pastry instead of croissant dough.
   Since puff pastry doesn’t contain yeast, you can fully prepare these danishes and freeze them raw. Then, bake them fresh when you want to serve them. This is definitely the simplest way to go!

Variations/substitutions for this recipe

I’ve made these cranberry danishes three different ways:

1. With Cranberry Apple Butter (as in this recipe)
2. With Sweet Apple Butter
3. Using Sweet Apple Butter and brie cheese as in my Apple Butter Baked Brie

I find that the buttery, flaky layers of this savoury pastry paired with the sweet/tart flavour of apple butter is a winning combination.

You can also substitute the croissant dough for puff pastry, or try other types of fruit fillings! Check out some of my favourite recipes below.

Filling recipes to try:

• Cranberry Apple Butter (used in this recipe)
• Sweet Apple Butter
• Tart Apple Butter
• Pumpkin Apple Butter
• Blueberry Pie Filling
• Apple Pie Filling
• Rhubarb Sauce (thick version, see recipe notes)
• Raspberry Sauce (thick version, see recipe notes)
• Strawberry Sauce (thick version, see recipe notes)

Tips for making great laminated dough

I always say this (and anyone who has read a few of my laminated dough posts will know) that my #1 tip for making great laminated doughs is keeping the dough cold with a chilled marble rolling pin. I literally can’t say enough good about it; I LOVE mine, and I have found it to make the process of working with laminated doughs 75% easier and 100% more enjoyable.

Can unbaked cranberry danishes be frozen?

I have heard that you can freeze croissant dough before, but I’ll be honest: I have yet to succeed in freezing any yeast dough! If you substitute puff pastry for the croissant dough in this recipe, you can freeze the danishes; but I can’t honestly recommend freezing the yeast dough otherwise.

If you know the secret, leave me a note in the comments! This is something I’d love to learn!

To make this recipe, you will need:

• Ingredients (see recipe card)
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife
• Spoon
• Pastry brush
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheets

Print

Cranberry Apple Butter Danishes 

These individual sized cranberry apple butter danishes as so delicious and not-too-sweet. Serve them with or without the icing sugar, or even add a glaze if you prefer to get that shiny outer finish.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, Canadian, Danish

Keyword apple butter, butter croissant, danish

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Dough preparation time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Naomi

Ingredients

• 1/2 batch Butter Croissant dough prepared up to step 4 in my tutorial; see recipe notes
• 3/4 cup Cranberry Apple Butter see recipe notes
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tsp. cold water
• 1/3 c. raw sliced or slivered almonds for sprinkling
• Fresh rosemary and cranberries to garnish (optional)
• 1/4 cup icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove the prepared, chilled croissant dough from the refrigerator, and roll out on a lightly floured work surface into a 9×9-inch square. Cut 6 equal-sized pieces.

2. The pieces may shrink back a little bit after you roll them, so before you form each danish, you should re-roll each piece, to make them a little wider. I would aim for about 4×4.5-inch rectangles, for the best results.

3. Using a sharp knife, cut little slits about 1/2-inch wide all the way down each side of the mini-rectangle (about 10 each side), cutting in about 1-inch deep, and slanting them in opposite directions (pointing down on both sides).

4. Spread about 2 Tbsp. of the cranberry apple butter down the centre strip of each danish.

5. Fold the top lip of the dough down over the filling, and begin "braiding" the cut pieces over each other, alternating sides, just until the apple butter is covered and the seams are concealed beneath the next strip of dough.

   When you get the end of the braid, before you fold in the last four strips, fold up the bottom piece to seal in the apple butter, and then wrap the top two pieces over that and underneath to hold it in place. Tuck the final two pieces of dough underneath the whole pastry to seal it shut.

6. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

7. Lay the finished danishes onto a large, parchment lined or ungreased baking sheet and cover loosely with a tea towel to rise. Allow to rest at least 1-3 hours, or until puffy (or at most, doubled in bulk).

   Note: The rising time will vary, depending on the temperature of your house.

8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and brush the risen danishes with your egg and water mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.

9. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until puffy and golden. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle if icing sugar if desired, and decorate with fresh cranberries and rosemary, to serve.

Recipe Notes

Note: I did not use icing sugar in these pictures.

 

RECIPES FOR THE DOUGH AND THE FILLING:

Butter Croissant Dough

Cranberry Apple Butter

1&2 – Roll and cut the dough

3, 4, 5, & 6 – Filling and Braiding the Danishes

7 & 8 – Allow the Danishes to Rise

9. Bake & Decorate

Other recipes you will love:

• Apple Butter Baked Brie
• Miniature Apple Turnovers
• Miniature Cherry Turnovers
• Eccles Cakes

As usual, if you make this recipe, let me know what you think! You can tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial, or just let me know in the comments below. Also, if you make a variation of this recipe– please. Do tell. I love to hear what other people’s genius comes up with!

Back soon!

–Naomi

This post contains affiliate links.