Apple Danish Braid Recipe: Completely from Scratch

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This apple Danish braid recipe from scratch involves no canned products like the usual Danish recipes that you see. It’s not difficult to make, and so, so yummy! The apple filling is perfect for fall and a great way to use apples. It makes a delicious dessert or a special breakfast. You have to try it!

Apple Danish Recipe from scratch

Apple Danish Recipe from Scratch

Are you ready to start making some yummy fall recipes using fall produce? I always look forward to apple season! Apples are one of my favorite fruits, and while they are in season, they can be purchased very inexpensively.

We love to make Homemade Applesauce, Mulled Apple Cider, Applesauce Pancakes, and all kinds of other yummy apple things! This year I decided to put an apple-y spin on one of my favorite family recipes, my Cream Cheese Danish.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients in the Apple Danish Braid Recipe

  • Yeast. This can be instant yeast, dry active yeast, or rapid rise yeast. Any will work fine in this recipe.
  • Sugar. You will need both white and brown sugar for this recipe.
  • Sour Cream. This goes in our dough and makes it so soft and amazing!
  • Butter. Butter is also for softness and to deepen the flavor of the dough.
  • Salt. Salt helps to bring out the flavor in baked goods.
  • Egg. This is our binder to keep things together.
  • All Purpose Flour. Regular flour will work fine. I have not yet tried gluten-free flour in this recipe.
  • Cream Cheese. This is for the filling! It can be left out if you don’t want this to be a cream cheese danish, but it’s so good!
  • Vanilla extract. I use Homemade Vanilla Extract, but you can also use store-bought vanilla.
  • Apples. If you already have Home Canned Apple Pie Filling that’s what you want to use in this recipe. If you don’t, you can cook down 2 large apples instead.
  • Apple Pie Spice. If you don’t have any, you can make a bulk apple pie spice for later. Mix 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon with 2 teaspoons each of ground nutmeg and allspice.
  • Cinnamon. We also need a little extra cinnamon in this recipe!
Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Making an Apple Danish Braid: Step by Step

In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Stir slightly and set aside.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

On the stove top, mix together the sour cream, butter, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Stir and simmer slightly until all ingredients are melted. Let this mixture cool slightly before moving onto the next step.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, and the egg. Combine well.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Add in the flour and knead until combined. Shape into a ball and place a cloth over the top. (You can also wrap the dough in plastic wrap.) Place the entire bowl in the fridge for 2 hours.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Remove the dough from the fridge after 2 hours and knead slightly. Roll out the dough onto a greased cookie sheet into a rectangle (about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick). Using a pizza cutter, cut slits about 3 inches long and one inch wide into each side of the dough.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Mix together the cream cheese (softened), 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, and the vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar has melted into the cream cheese.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Spread the cream cheese evenly down the middle of the danish.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

If you are using fresh apples, peel and slice the apples. (Granny Smith Apples work best but any tart apple will do.) In a saucepan, cook the apples over medium heat (with a little butter) until the apples are cooked. Add in the cinnamon and apple pie spice. If you are using canned apples you can simply add in the spices.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Spread over the top of the cream cheese.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Use the side strips of the dough to create the braid over the top of the apples and cream cheese.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Bake at 350 degrees in the oven for 20 minutes or until the dough is turning brown on the top.

Apple Cream Cheese Danish

Enjoy warm! This would also taste yummy with a little glaze on top. Just mix a bit of powdered sugar with milk and drizzle it over the entire loaf. This recipe also freezes very well. Just bake and freeze in freezer bags.

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Apple Cream Cheese Danish
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Apple Danish Braid Recipe

Make a delicious Apple Cream Cheese Danish to enjoy fall flavors!

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Danish
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12 pieces
Calories 187 kcal
Creator Merissa

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pint home canned Apples OR 2 large diced peeled apples
  • 1/2 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Stir slightly and set aside.
  2. On the stove top, mix together the sour cream, butter, 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Stir and simmer slightly until all ingredients are melted. Let this mixture cool slightly before moving onto the next step.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, and the egg. Combine well.
  4. Add in the flour and knead until combined. Shape into a ball and place a cloth over the top. Place the entire bowl in the fridge for 2 hours.
  5. Remove the dough from the fridge after 2 hours and knead slightly. Roll out the dough onto a greased cookie sheet into a rectangle (about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick). Using a pizza cutter, cut slits about 3 inches long and one inch wide into each side of the dough.
  6. Mix together the cream cheese (softened), 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, and the vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar has melted into the cream cheese.
  7. Spread the cream cheese evenly down the middle of the danish.
  8. If you are using fresh apples, peel and slice the apples. In a saucepan, cook the apples over a medium heat (with a little butteuntil the apples are cooked. Add in the cinnamon and apple pie spice. If you are using canned apples you can simply add in the spices. (More recipes using canned apples here!)
  9. Spread over the top of the cream cheese.
  10. Use the side strips of the dough to create the braid over the top of the apples and cream cheese.
  11. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the dough is turning brown on the top.

Recipe Notes

Enjoy warm! This would also taste yummy with a little glaze on top. Just mix a bit of powdered sugar with milk and drizzle it over the entire loaf. This recipe also freezes very well. Just bake and freeze in freezer bags.

Nutrition Facts
Apple Danish Braid Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 187 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 203mg9%
Potassium 114mg3%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 224IU4%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
My Danish Braid is too soggy, what do I do?

Usually, a soggy danish is caused by too much liquid in the filling. Make sure you drain any liquid off of your apples before placing them in the braid.

Is a Danish made from puff pastry?

No, a traditional Danish is made from a rich yeast dough with plenty of butter.

What is the difference between apple strudel and apple danish?

A strudel is made with a layered flaky dough like a puff pastry. A danish is made from a rich yeast dough.

How to Store Leftover Apple Danish Braid

Place any leftovers in an airtight bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days after baking.

This danish braid also freezes very well. You can freeze the entire baked product in a freezer bag (I like to cut in half and freeze in portions we can eat at one time). Or you can freeze the dough after making it but before baking it.

Allow either the baked frozen danish or the dough to come to room temperature before serving or before using in a recipe.

Apple Turnovers

More Apple Recipes

Me and Kady

Merissa Alink

Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.

This Apple Danish Braid Recipe was originally posted on Little House Living in October 2014. It has been updated as of October 2023.

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30 Comments

  1. This sounds so good!! I am out of sour cream,but will be going to the store soon.As soon as I do,I am trying this! I also like the idea of freezing a couple for the future. You have some really wonderful ideas..thanks!

  2. I’ve got some frozen apples that would work great in this recipe, and I am inspired now to give this braid a whirl 🙂

  3. This looks delicious! Do you have a diary free version of the dough? I can always come up with something for this filling but the dough with sour cream is always the hard part for me 🙂

    1. I haven’t tried a dairy free version but you might have luck with coconut butter to replace the butter, I’m not sure on the sour cream though…maybe some kind of dairy free yogurt?

  4. Thanks for the recipe. Can you clarify whether it’s 1/2 tsp. sugar or 1 tsp. of sugar, please? In the recipe, it says 1/2 tsp., but the instructions say 1 tsp.

  5. Do you have a Cream Cheese Danish Pastry recipe? I love Cream cheese Pastries. Thank you for sharing your favorite recipes with us. Love them.

  6. I love your original cream cheese danish. I haven’t made it in a while, so I am glad you posted this apple version to remind me! It is a very tender dough to work with and the danish turns out fantastic, better than a bakery, and definitely with better, homemade ingredients. Delicious!!! I may make two small ones, eat one now and then freeze one. Thank you!

  7. Do you what type of gluten free flour I’d use for the dough. My husband and young daughter are celiac. Thank you,

  8. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful project on The Inspiration Board at homework. I loved your project and featured you today!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    carolyn ~ homework

  9. This looks lovely! I made my first ever Danish yesterday…from scratch…and it was gluten and dairy free too! I am really pleased with myself!! I went for maple, pecan and walnut though, but next time I think it might have to be apple!

  10. These look wonderful! I’m so glad that you shared them at our weekly link party because it lead me to your lovely corner of blogland. Consider me your newest follower!

  11. This looks delicious! Fall is definitely my favorite when it comes to seasonal recipes! Thanks for linking up for Friday Favorites. I’m featuring you this week.

  12. That looks like it would go wonderfully with my coffee in the morning. I am going to check and see oif I have the goodies to make that! Pinning it 🙂

  13. This looks fantastic. I want to try this over the weekend. Has anyone tried this with other fruit. My daughter is allergic to apples.

  14. 5 stars
    Yum – my daughter and I made this today and it turned out great – thank you! We ended up going out before we had time to bake it so the dough was in the fridge for a lot longer than 2 hours but it still worked perfectly. We brushed the top of the braid with egg white and it came out a lovely golden brown.
    Thank you!