10 Danish Recipes That Stay Crisp at the Edge and Soft in the Center

Danish recipes work when the dough crisps, the filling holds, and the finish doesn’t lean too soft or too sweet. This set covers bakery-style cheese versions, fruit-filled builds with cherry or apple, and fast puff pastry or crescent roll twists that still bake with structure. Some go layered with crumble or tucked with chocolate chips, others stick to classic cream cheese or fresh berries, but all of them stay clean through baking and cooling. Whether you’re working with homemade dough or something straight from the freezer, these recipes skip the sogginess and slice like something built to hold. They serve sharp, bake golden, and land right every time, no frosting needed to make them feel done.

Cherry Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Danish

A wooden plate with several pastries topped with cream cheese filling and bright red cherry glaze, with a coffee cup in the background. — Cherry Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Danish. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Crescent dough wrapped around cream cheese and cherry filling, sealed and baked until puffed and golden. The layers stay light, and the center sets without spilling. Serve warm or next-day. A shortcut build that still finishes tight.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls Danish

Apple Danish with Crumble Topping

Rectangular pastries with crumb topping and white icing drizzle are stacked on a wooden board over a woven placemat. — Apple Danish with Crumble Topping. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

Soft dough or pastry layered with apple slices and topped with a crisp crumble that browns in the oven. The texture finishes with contrast, crunch on top, soft in the center. Serve cooled to slice. It holds together without icing.
Get the Recipe: Apple Danish with Crumble Topping

Cream Cheese Berry Danish Recipe

A rectangular fruit danish with icing drizzle sits on a white plate, surrounded by fresh berries and sliced oranges on a wooden table. — Cream Cheese Berry Danish Recipe. Photo credit: xoxo Bella.

A mix of berries laid over a base of cream cheese, wrapped or folded into dough and baked until the top sets. The berry mix holds texture, not just color. Serve cooled. It’s soft-centered with a tart finish.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Berry Danish Recipe

Cheese Danish

Classic version with a soft pastry shell and slightly tangy cheese filling that stays centered during baking. The bake finishes even without the filling spreading. Serve sliced or handheld. It’s clean and simple but full.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Danish

Homemade Apple Danish

Golden brown braided pastry with a visible apple filling on a wooden board, set on a striped kitchen towel. — Homemade Apple Danish. Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry.

Cooked spiced apples folded into or layered over dough, then baked until the edges turn golden and the filling stays firm. The crust bakes crisp while the center holds soft. Serve warm or cooled. It finishes with clean edges and full texture.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Apple Danish

Cherry Danish Recipe

A stack of cherry cheese danishes on a wooden plate with a cup of coffee in the background. — Cherry Danish Recipe. Photo credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl.

A straight fruit version with no extra cheese, just cherry filling baked into golden pastry. The fruit holds firm and the crust flakes. Serve cooled or room temp. It’s simple, sharp, and fruit-first.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Danish Recipe

Starbucks Copycat Cheese Danish

Two rectangular cream cheese danishes on a piece of brown and green paper, placed on a marble surface near a stack of white plates. — Starbucks Copycat Cheese Danish. Photo credit: xoxo Bella.

Puff pastry folded and filled to mimic the café version, then baked until crisp with a smooth cheese center. It holds its shape even after cooling. Serve plain or lightly dusted. It’s fast-built but bakery-level in texture.
Get the Recipe: Starbucks Copycat Cheese Danish

Chocolate Chip Danishes

Rectangular pastries with a creamy filling and chocolate chips on top, cooling on a wire rack next to a red and white cloth. — Chocolate Chip Danishes. Photo credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl.

Chocolate chips folded into dough or layered with sweet cream cheese, then baked until set. The outside turns crisp while the inside melts just enough. Serve slightly warm. It’s a chocolate-forward bake that still cuts clean.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Danishes

Cherry Danishes

Pastry filled with cherry compote or pie filling, shaped and baked until the crust crisps and the fruit bubbles. The filling stays inside without leaking. Serve cooled. It finishes with sharp edges and soft fruit.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Danishes

Puff Pastry Cream Cheese Danish

Store-bought puff pastry filled with sweet cream cheese and baked until the layers rise and the center stays soft. The crust flakes without breaking down. Serve fresh. It’s light, crisp, and fast to finish.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Cream Cheese danish

Cream Cheese Danish

Sweetened cream cheese spooned into the center of folded or rolled dough, baked until the edges set and the middle firms. The texture holds without collapsing. Serve warm or at room temp. It lands rich but balanced.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Danish