Raspberry-Cream Cheese Holiday Crescent Danish

Recipe Ingredients

Take a peek at what each ingredient brings to this top-rated candy cane Danish pastry recipe.

Pillsbury™ Crescent Rolls: Starting with crescent dough means you don’t have to take the time to make homemade dough. Our famous crescent dough rises in the oven to create tender, flaky, pastry for this breakfast treat.

Cream Cheese: The tangy flavor of cream cheese complements the sweet raspberry filling. It also helps hold the filling in place, keeping your crescent roll candy cane looking its very holiday best.

Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the cream cheese layer and a bit of sparkle to the top of the Danish. Powdered sugar mixed with milk creates a glaze that’s drizzled over the Danish, adding just the right amount of sweetness.

Raspberries: Fresh raspberries add a fruity lightness, and raspberry preserves double down on the raspberry flavor while cleverly creating a filling that doesn’t require additional prep time to cook.

Butter: Adds a tiny note of rich dairy flavor, helps to brown the pastry, and acts as the “glue” to hold the sugar that is sprinkled on the pastry before baking.

How to Make Raspberry-Cream Cheese Holiday Crescent Danish

You can put together this bakery-worthy holiday breakfast bread with just 20 minutes of prep. Follow along with these basic steps and reference the recipe for more details.

1. Prep the Pan and Arrange the Dough Pieces

Line a baking sheet with cooking parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. This ensures any filling that leaks out during baking won’t stick to the baking sheet. It also makes it easy to remove the baked crescent roll candy cane from the pan. Cut the crescent triangles in half lengthwise, and line them up on the baking sheet with the wide edges overlapping slightly, all pointed in the same direction. Press together the overlapping parts to seal.

2. Add the Fillings

Mix softened cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of sugar; spread it in a 1/2-inch-wide strip down the dough at the widest part. Mix the raspberries and preserves; spoon them on top of the cream cheese.

3. Make a Crescent Roll Candy Cane

Fold each tip of dough over the filling and pinch to the opposite edge. Gently curve one end of the pastry to form the top of the cane. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

4. Bake, Cool, and Glaze

Bake at 375°F until the pastry is golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes; this will make it sturdier and easier to move. Using a pancake turner, carefully slide the Danish onto a serving platter. Mix the glaze ingredients, and use a spoon to drizzle it over the top of the Danish. Serve your crescent roll candy cane warm for the best flavor and texture.

Storing and Reheating Raspberry-Cream Cheese Holiday Crescent Danish

Have leftovers? Here’s how to store this festive Danish so it tastes just as merry the next day.

Refrigerator

Place any remaining crescent roll candy cane Danish on a plate. Cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Reheating

To reheat leftover Danish, place a serving on a microwavable plate. Cover it loosely, and microwave on Low (30%) 30 seconds to 1 minute or just until slightly warm. Do not overheat, or the filling will run out from the pastry.