Super-Easy One Pan Cheese Danish

One Pan Cheese Danish
from JJ

Vegetable oil spray
2 8oz packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temp
1 ½ cups sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Flour, for dusting the work surface
6 T. butter, melted (I didn’t need this much)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 c. chopped pecans

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.  Lightly mist a 13 x 9 metal baking pan with spray.

Open one can of crescent rolls and spread them out flat in the bottom of the prepared baking pan, using your fingers to press the seams together and press the dough about ¾ inch up the sides of the pan.  The dough will be thin.  Set aside.

Place the cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar, and the egg and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about one minute.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough but do not allow it to touch the sides of the pan.  Open the second can of rolls.  Spread them out on a lightly floured work surface and press the seams together.  Shape the dough into a 13 x 9 inch rectangle.  Gently lift the rectangle of dough and place it on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Using a dinner knife, carefully pull the bottom layer of dough away from the sides of the pan, just enough to allow you to pinch the 2 layers of dough together.

Brush the melted butter over the top layer of dough.  Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and the cinnamon and pecans in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough.

Bake the Danish until puffed and golden brown, 30-35 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let stand for about 15 minutes.  Slice and serve at room temperature.