Deep Dish Cream Cheese Danish

Deep Dish Cream Cheese Danish

2 cans crescent rolls

2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese (softened)

1 cup sugar, plus 1 TBSP for later

1 stick of butter (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon, plus ½ tsp for later

Spread one can of rolls in the bottom of a 9x9 square baking dish.  It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to lay them so you can’t see the bottom of the pan peeking through.  It’s ok to overlap them.  Really.  It is. 

Mix 2 blocks cream cheese, 1 stick of butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 cup sugar.  Beat well. Give the beaters to your favorite 9 year old.  :o) smile.

Spread half the mixture over rolls.  Spread the other can of rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Spread remaining mixture on top. Mix 1 TBSP sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon together and sprinkle all over the top. 

I had plenty of crescent rolls in my pan, so I kept two pieces out and saved them to lay on the top.

Pause.  Take a minute to reassure yourself that you are NOT going to eat the whole pan, therefore it’s ok.  It’s O – K!

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Allow to cool for about 10-20 minutes so it sets up well.

 

Variations

• Replace Vanilla with Maple flavoring or Almond extract or Butter Rum extract or whatever flavoring you’d like to try. When I make these with maple flavoring, my kids like to drizzle a little maple syrup over them at the table.
• Replace Cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice or mulling spice or whatever you would like to try.
• Instead of splitting the cream cheese mixture into two layers, you can spread the entire mixture over the bottom layer of crescent rolls, then top with the other can of crescent rolls.  If you do it this way, omit the butter from the cream cheese mixture.  After you top the cream cheese layer with the second can of crescent rolls, pour the melted stick of butter all over the top and then sprinkle your cinnamon/sugar mixture (or whatever you pick) over the top and bake.