Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Pinwheels are the perfect breakfast for a cool crisp fall morning.
So, I pretty much can never remember my dreams. It’s kind of a bummer because dreams can be pretty entertaining/weird. Lucky for you I did remember one from last night!
To preface, I’ll just have you know that I am no singer. I’ll sing hymns in church but I would never sing alone or even a small group. K, well in my dream I was trying out for the lead role of my high school’s spring musical. Whaaat?! I was really confused because I usually played the flute & piccolo in the pit and knew I wasn’t very good at singing, yet I was confident I was going to get the part. I was freaking out a little as I was waiting for my turn to audition because I hadn’t planned or practiced what song I was going to sing. I quickly decided I’d sing the preamble (the first part of the U.S. Constitution)…. And then I woke up. Thank goodness! Although, it would have been pretty funny if I woke my husband up with me singing it in my sleep.
But the Preamble?! What is going on with my unconscious mind? I learned the School House Rock preamble song back in the fifth grade when we had to memorize it and although I still have it memorized it’s not like I thinking about it often or really ever. Anyway, enough with my rambling about my weird dream. On to the yummy Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Pinwheels!
These are so fun and quite easy. You just need 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, you roll it out, cut it into 9 squares, add the fillings, make some cuts and then pull up the corners and bake.
How could you not want a delicate pastry filled with cream cheese, soft apples, and caramel? So yummy!
Plus, these are the perfect size. Not 500 calories. It’s just enough to fulfill your danish craving.
Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Danish
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced (I used a Jazz apple)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulate sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Sanding sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
- With a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- In a small pot, bring brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, water, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add the apples and remove from heat. Set aside to cool while preparing dough.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll pastry dough out into a 12x12 inch square. Cut into nine 4x4 inch squares and then transfer to baking sheets. Prick dough with a fork all over.
- Spoon 1-2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture onto the middle of each square and make an indent with a spoon. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons apple mixture on top of the cream cheese (it's ok if you have leftover caramel). Using a knife, make a diagonal cut from each corner to the middle of of the square, stopping right before you get to the cream cheese (don't cut under the cream cheese). Each square now has 4 triangles. Take the right point of each triangle and fold it up to the center and gently press down. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.
Virginia Fynes says
These look SUPER yummy, pinning!
Melanie says
Yummy AND super easy. Thanks Virginia!
Becky (The Cookie Rookie) says
These are SO beautiful!! Love the prep shots. Too pretty!! xo
Melanie says
Thank you Becky! Yeah, hopefully my directions make more sense with the prep shot photos. haha!
Julie @ Lovely Little Kitchen says
Love these! So pretty and fancy, but they don’t seem like they’d be too hard to make!
Melanie says
Yes, they look fancy but are quite easy since the dough is already made. Thanks Julie!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
Just, yes. I LOVE apple desserts in the fall! And I love how easy puff pastry makes these! Pinned 🙂
Melanie says
Thanks Ashley! Yes, all things apple in the fall is a must!