Effortless Kings Hawaiian Cream Cheese Danishes: The Ultimate Easy Breakfast & Dessert Recipe
Who doesn’t love a delicious and easy cream cheese danish? Imagine crafting mouth-watering pastries right in your kitchen, without the fuss of traditional puff pastry or store-bought crescent rolls. This Kings Hawaiian Cream Cheese Danish recipe is a game-changer, incredibly simple to prepare, and yields irresistibly tasty danishes perfect for any occasion. It’s a delightful shortcut to gourmet flavor that will impress everyone.
The secret lies in transforming premade Kings Hawaiian dinner rolls into a soft, pillowy base for a rich, homemade cream cheese filling. Forget complicated dough work – with this recipe, you simply shape the rolls, whip up a creamy cheesecake-like center, and finish with a delicate vanilla glaze. In mere minutes, you’ll have warm, golden-brown danishes ready to be enjoyed. This recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it ideal for busy mornings or spontaneous dessert cravings.
Whether you’re a long-time danish fan or new to baking, this recipe eliminates the intimidating steps of making homemade puff pastry. It’s the perfect solution for a special yet easy breakfast, perhaps for Christmas morning, or a delightful treat to brighten up your weekend brunch. These semi-homemade cream cheese danishes offer all the comforting sweetness and tang you adore, but with a significantly streamlined process. Get ready to discover your new favorite go-to recipe for a truly satisfying sweet indulgence!
Essential Ingredients for Your Easy Cream Cheese Danishes
Crafting these delectable danishes requires just a few key ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry or can easily find at any grocery store. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the use of readily available items to create something truly extraordinary. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to gather:
- Danish Bread Base: The star of our shortcut is a package of soft, sweet Kings Hawaiian rolls. These rolls provide an incredibly tender and slightly sweet foundation, mimicking the brioche-like texture often found in traditional danishes. Their unique flavor perfectly complements the creamy filling, making them an ideal choice for this semi-homemade treat.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter is crucial for brushing onto the rolls, creating a rich, flavorful crust and helping the cinnamon-sugar mixture adhere. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of your danishes, ensuring a perfectly balanced sweet and savory profile.
- Sweeteners: You’ll need both light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar, with its molasses content, adds depth and moisture to the butter-cinnamon topping, contributing to that irresistible sticky-sweet outer layer. Granulated sugar sweetens the cream cheese filling, giving it a classic cheesecake-like taste.
- Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice is non-negotiable! Ground cinnamon infuses the rolls with an aromatic, comforting flavor that pairs wonderfully with both the sweet bread and the tangy cream cheese. It elevates the danishes from simple rolls to a truly special pastry.
- Cream Cheese: For the luxurious, creamy center, you’ll need a block of full-fat cream cheese, brought to room temperature. This is vital for achieving a smooth, lump-free filling that blends effortlessly with the other ingredients. Room temperature cream cheese also ensures even baking and a perfectly set texture.
- Large Egg: One large egg, also at room temperature, acts as a binder for the cream cheese filling, providing structure and richness. It helps the filling set beautifully as it bakes, preventing it from being too runny.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract is perfect for enhancing the sweetness and complexity of both the cream cheese filling and the final glaze. Whether you use store-bought or homemade, good quality vanilla makes a noticeable difference.
For the Irresistible Vanilla Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This finely milled sugar is essential for creating a smooth, velvety glaze that drizzles perfectly over your warm danishes. Its delicate texture dissolves easily, preventing any grittiness.
- Whole Milk: I recommend whole milk for the glaze as it provides a richer consistency without making the glaze too thin. You can adjust the amount slightly to achieve your desired drizzling consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: A second dash of vanilla extract in the glaze brings another layer of flavor and aroma, completing the danish experience with a fragrant finish.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Kings Hawaiian Cream Cheese Danishes
Making these cream cheese danishes is a straightforward and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to create a batch of delightful pastries that look and taste like they came from a professional bakery, all with minimal effort.
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Environment
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). While the oven heats, prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish. You can either lightly spray it with a nonstick cooking spray or, for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking, line it with parchment paper. This ensures your danishes bake evenly and can be easily removed once done.
Step 2: Create the Danish Wells
Carefully take each Hawaiian roll from its package. Using a serrated knife, gently cut a square into the top of each roll. Make sure to cut approximately halfway down into the roll, creating a small well or pocket. This step is crucial as it will hold our delicious cream cheese filling. Remove about 1 tablespoon of the center bread from each roll to enlarge the cavity slightly if needed. Be careful not to cut all the way through the bottom.
Step 3: Prepare the Sweet Cinnamon Butter
In a small bowl, combine your melted unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir these ingredients together until they form a fragrant, well-blended mixture. This topping adds a wonderful layer of flavor and a slightly crisp, caramelized exterior to your danishes.
Step 4: Brush the Rolls with Flavor
Generously brush the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon mixture all over the inside cavities and tops of the prepared Hawaiian rolls. Ensure every nook and cranny, especially the newly cut wells, is coated. This step not only adds incredible flavor but also helps to prevent the rolls from drying out during baking and forms a beautiful golden crust.
Step 5: Mix the Creamy Cheesecake Filling
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and the room temperature egg. Beat these ingredients together using an electric mixer or a whisk until the mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps. It should resemble a luscious cheesecake batter. A good whisking ensures a perfectly uniform texture for your danish filling.
Step 6: Fill the Rolls
Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, carefully fill each prepared Hawaiian roll with the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the filling generously into the wells you created earlier, making sure each roll receives a good amount. Don’t overfill, but ensure a nice, plump dome of creamy goodness sits atop each danish. Place the filled rolls into your prepared baking dish.
Step 7: Bake to Golden Perfection
Place the baking dish in your preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them; the danishes are ready when the cream cheese filling is set and lightly golden around the edges, and the rolls themselves have turned a beautiful golden brown. The filling should no longer appear liquid in the center.
Step 8: Prepare the Vanilla Glaze
While the danishes are baking or cooling slightly, prepare your simple vanilla glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients together by hand until completely smooth and free of lumps. The consistency should be pourable yet thick enough to cling to the danishes. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Step 9: Glaze and Serve!
Once your cream cheese danishes are out of the oven and slightly cooled (or still warm for a gooey experience), generously drizzle the vanilla glaze over the top of each roll. The glaze will set beautifully as it cools. Serve these warm or at room temperature, and prepare for a chorus of compliments! These homemade danishes are best enjoyed fresh.
Storing Your Delicious Cream Cheese Danishes
While these cream cheese danishes are incredibly tempting and often disappear quickly, it’s helpful to know how to properly store any leftovers to maintain their freshness and delicious taste. Due to the cream cheese in the filling, careful storage is important.
Fridge: Any leftover danishes should be stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator. This is essential for food safety due to the dairy content of the cream cheese. When stored correctly, they will remain fresh and delightful for up to 3 days. To enjoy them warm again, simply pop them into a toaster oven or microwave for a short period until heated through. Be careful not to overheat, as this can dry out the rolls.
Freezer (for longer storage): If you find yourself with an abundance of danishes or wish to prepare a batch ahead of time, these cream cheese danishes freeze surprisingly well. To freeze, allow the baked and glazed danishes to cool completely. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 1-2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently as desired.
Tips and Tricks for Perfecting Your Easy Cream Cheese Danish Recipe
This recipe is already incredibly simple, but a few extra tips and tricks can elevate your cream cheese danishes even further, allowing you to customize them and ensure perfect results every time. These suggestions offer creative variations and practical advice to enhance your baking experience.
Add Flavor to Your Semi-Homemade Breakfast Recipe by Trying One or More of These Creative Ideas:
- Fresh Berry Burst: Elevate the freshness and add a pop of color by topping your danishes with fresh berries after they’ve baked and been glazed. Sliced fresh strawberries, plump blueberries, or a mix of raspberries and blackberries would be absolutely delightful. The slight tartness of the berries beautifully balances the sweetness of the danish.
- Zesty Lemon Kick: Introduce a bright, citrusy note to your cream cheese filling. Add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or a tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest (or both!) to the cream cheese mixture before beating. This creates a vibrant, lemony cream cheese filling that’s incredibly refreshing and a lovely contrast to the sweet roll.
- Chocolate Lover’s Dream: For those with a serious sweet tooth, incorporate mini chocolate chips or small chocolate chunks directly into the cream cheese mixture. As the danishes bake, the chocolate will melt slightly, creating pockets of gooey, rich chocolate that pair wonderfully with the tangy cream cheese and sweet roll.
- Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle a few chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or slivered almonds over the cream cheese filling before baking for an added textural contrast and nutty flavor.
- Fruit Preserve Swirl: After spooning the cream cheese filling into the rolls, add a small dollop of your favorite fruit preserve (raspberry, apricot, or cherry work wonderfully) on top of the cream cheese and swirl it lightly with a toothpick before baking.
Will these danishes be flaky like traditional ones?
Since this recipe ingeniously uses premade Kings Hawaiian dinner rolls as its base, rather than delicate, layered puff pastry, you won’t achieve the characteristic flaky layers of a traditional danish. However, what you *will* get is an incredibly soft, pillowy, and utterly delicious pastry with a rich, creamy center that everyone adores. The Hawaiian rolls provide a unique, slightly sweet bread-like softness that is comforting and satisfying in its own right, making this a fantastic alternative for a quick and easy treat without the complexity of laminated dough.
For an Even More Golden-Brown Top: Add a Simple Egg Wash
If you desire an even more lustrous, golden-brown finish for your danishes, a simple egg wash is the trick. Before baking, whisk one large egg with a tablespoon of water or milk until well combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush this mixture over the exposed tops of the constructed danishes (the bread portions, not the cream cheese filling). This creates a beautiful shine and promotes a deeper golden hue during baking, giving your danishes a truly professional appearance.
Why Choose Kings Hawaiian Rolls for Your Danishes?
The choice of Kings Hawaiian rolls for this recipe is not arbitrary; it’s a key factor in its success and simplicity. These iconic sweet rolls are renowned for their incredibly soft, fluffy texture and distinctively sweet flavor, which perfectly complements the tangy cream cheese filling and cinnamon-sugar topping. Their ready-made nature eliminates the need for any complicated dough preparation, making this recipe accessible to even the most novice bakers. They absorb the melted butter and cinnamon beautifully, transforming from dinner rolls into a pastry-like base that’s both comforting and gourmet.
Perfect Serving Suggestions for Your Cream Cheese Danishes
These versatile cream cheese danishes are wonderful on their own, but they also pair beautifully with a variety of accompaniments. Serve them warm with a fresh cup of coffee or tea for an indulgent breakfast. They make a fantastic addition to any brunch spread, sitting proudly alongside savory dishes. For dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream can turn them into an even more decadent treat. Consider serving them with a side of fresh fruit salad for a balanced offering. No matter how you choose to serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!
Explore More Delicious Dessert Recipes:
If you loved the ease and flavor of these cream cheese danishes, you might enjoy exploring some other fantastic dessert recipes from our collection. From no-bake wonders to classic treats, there’s always something new to discover and delight your palate:
- Irresistible No-Bake Layered Turtle Dessert
- Refreshing No-Bake Pineapple Layered Dessert
- Sweet and Salty Strawberry Pretzelt Dessert
- Classic Buster Bar Dessert
Cream Cheese Danishes
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Ingredients
- 12 count package Hawaiian rolls
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray (or line it with parchment paper).
- Using a serrated knife, cut a square in the top of each roll halfway down, removing about 1 tbsp of the center of each roll to create a well.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well.
- Generously brush this mixture all over the inside and top of the rolls, ensuring the wells are coated.
- To a medium-sized bowl, add the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg. Beat well until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the wells of each of the prepared rolls.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cream cheese filling has set and the rolls are golden brown.
- Make the glaze: mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract by hand with a whisk until smooth.
- Once out of the oven, drizzle the glaze generously on top of the warm rolls. Serve and enjoy!
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We hope you thoroughly enjoy creating and indulging in these incredibly easy and utterly delicious Kings Hawaiian Cream Cheese Danishes. They’re a testament to how simple ingredients and smart shortcuts can lead to truly memorable treats. Perfect for sharing with family and friends, or simply savoring on your own with a morning cup of coffee. Don’t forget to connect with us!
If you give these recipes a try, make sure to tag us on Instagram @julia.pacheco.cooking and let us know how much you liked them! We love seeing your creations and hearing your feedback.