Rice Paper Apple Danish (Air Fryer, Gluten-Free)

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I absolutely love pastries, but being gluten intolerant makes them tricky. Regular gluten free pastry always lacks that crunch and flakiness, so you end up debating whether to just have the real thing and deal with the consequences. This rice paper version is a genuine revelation, it gets remarkably close to a real danish and it is so much simpler to make. This one has all the autumn vibes too, with spiced apple and a creamy cheesecake style filling tucked inside a crisp, golden parcel.

It takes about ten minutes to put together and eight minutes in the air fryer, so it is realistic for a weekday treat, not just a weekend project.

Plated rice paper apple danish on a white plate, dusted with cinnamon and sesame seeds

Why This Rice Paper Apple Danish Works

Rice paper crisps up in the air fryer far more convincingly than most gluten free pastry alternatives
The cream cheese and Greek yoghurt filling keeps it feeling more like a cheesecake danish than a dry pastry
One danish, ready in under 20 minutes total, with minimal washing up
Naturally gluten free, and easy to make dairy free with a plant based cream cheese and yoghurt swap

Ingredient Notes

Rice paper sheets are the trick here, brushed with an egg wash and doubled up, they bake into something surprisingly close to filo pastry
Chicory syrup is what I use, it adds a gentle caramel sweetness and a genuine fibre boost from the inulin. If you cannot find it, maple syrup or golden syrup works as a substitute, though the fibre count will drop
Brown erythritol keeps this lower in sugar than a traditional pastry, ordinary brown sugar works just as well if that is what you have
Sesame seeds go over the top with the cinnamon for a bit of crunch and a nutty finish, they are easy to skip if you are not a fan

How to Make It

Start by whisking the egg with the milk and vanilla essence, then brush both rice paper sheets generously on each side. Stack them together for extra structure and fold the edges inwards to form a little well. Spoon in the cream cheese, yoghurt and chicory syrup mixture, then top with the thinly sliced apple, cinnamon, erythritol and sesame seeds. Air fry at 170°C for six to eight minutes, until deep golden and crisp, then let it sit for a minute before eating, the filling will be very hot straight out of the basket.

Rice paper apple danish sliced open showing the cream cheese filling inside

Nutrition & Tracking

This danish comes to roughly 323 kcal, 10.7g of protein and 7.9g of fibre for the full recipe, which is one generous danish. That fibre figure is based on the actual nutrition label of the chicory syrup I use, which is genuinely high in fibre from the inulin, it just sits a touch under my usual 8g bar for a formal High Fibre claim, so treat it as a guide rather than an exact number.

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Storage

This one is best fresh from the air fryer, since rice paper softens as it sits. If you do have leftovers, keep them in the fridge for up to a day and reheat in the air fryer for two to three minutes to re-crisp, rather than the microwave.

If you enjoyed this, you will probably love my Blueberry and Mascarpone Pastries for a puff pastry alternative, or my Rice Paper Pizza Bagels for a savoury take on the same rice paper hack. You can find more sweet treats over on the dessert recipes page.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Yazio Pro. I only partner with brands I use myself. This article is general information, not medical advice.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 7 mins

Total Time 17 mins

Cooking Method: Air Fryer

Cuisine: Fusion

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Beginner

Cooking Temp: 170 C

Servings: 1

Estimated Cost: 2

Calories: 323 kcal

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Dietary: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Description

A gluten-free take on an apple danish, made with rice paper instead of pastry. Brushed with egg wash, filled with a cream cheese and Greek yoghurt mixture, and topped with cinnamon apple, then air fried until crisp. Ready in under 20 minutes.

Ingredients

For the Danish

2 sheets rice paper
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For the Filling

2 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1/2 tbsp chicory syrup (or maple syrup)

For the Topping

1/4 apple, thinly sliced
ground cinnamon (to taste)
1 tsp brown erythritol (or brown sugar)
1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1
Whisk the egg with the milk and vanilla essence in a small bowl. Lay each rice paper sheet flat on a board and brush both sides generously with the egg wash.
2
In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, Greek yoghurt and chicory syrup until smooth and combined.
3
Stack the two egg washed rice paper sheets on top of each other for extra structure, then fold the sides inwards to form a square parcel with a well in the middle.
4
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the centre of the well, then arrange the thinly sliced apple on top.
5
Sprinkle over the ground cinnamon, brown erythritol and sesame seeds.
6
Air fry at 170°C for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp. Let it sit for a minute before serving, as the filling will be very hot.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 1 ServingCalories:323kcalTotal Fat:18.1gSaturated Fat: 8.0gSodium:207mgTotal Carbohydrate:30.6gDietary Fiber: 7.9gSugars: 7.8gProtein:10.7g