These Danish pastries are made completely from scratch (no puff pastry here!), taste like they came straight from the fanciest of bakeries, and are easier than you’d think. The topping possibilities are endless; choose from cream cheese, fruit, chocolate, lemon curd, or a combination of those! A perfect baking project for overnight guests or special breakfast or brunch.
I know you might be intimidated by homemade pastries, but believe me when I tell you that they are SO doable and you will be absolutely thrilled when you get to sink your teeth into the final product. I’m going to walk you through the process below and there are very detailed directions in the recipe.
The most important component of the Danish pastry dough is the butter block. You’ll roll out two rectangles of butter and layer them into the dough before it gets rolled out and folded multiple times. This is what allows those gorgeous (and delicious!) flaky layers to develop.
In order to take full advantage of the butter block we made above, we need to make sure there are layers upon layers of that delicious butter throughout the dough. In order to do that, we roll the dough out, place two layers of butter block between the dough, then fold it up and roll it out.
It may initially seem a little over the top, but once you bite into a finished Danish and see those flaky layers, you’ll be reaping the rewards big time!
After a long chill in the refrigerator, the dough is ready to be divided up and the Danish pastries assembled. I experimented with some different sizes and shaping methods and kept coming back to this simple, delicious, and classic circle. It’s virtually foolproof and has a perfect ratio of flaky pastry to filling.
First, working with one-third of the dough at a time, you’ll portion it out into 12 pieces each, and then roll them into balls…
Next, you’ll flatten them into discs, place on baking sheets and allow to rise for about 1 hour – they will puff up but will not double in size. Then it’s time to fill them!
My all-time favorite Danish flavor is cream cheese, so that’s obviously my recommendation, but most of the rest of my family love cherry, so I made some of those, as well 😉 If you’re looking for ideas beyond those basics, here’s a list to get you started:
You can also mix and match many of the combinations above! Cream cheese and berries or chocolate and orange would be fabulous together!
Last but not least, we drizzle on a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze to make these Danish pastries really look like they just came from the bakery.
If you’d like, you could also sprinkle on some chopped nuts on top of the pastries before drizzling for a little crunch and texture contrast.
There are two differences between Danish pastry and puff pastry. First of all Danish pastries contain a high level of fat: 40%. The second difference is that Danish dough contains yeast and that isn’t the case for puff pastry.
Danish Pastry Recipe
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 5½ cups (663 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 4½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (360 ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fruit jam, preserves, or canned pie filling
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1½ cups (170 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Make the Dough: Cut ½ tablespoon off the ends of each of the four sticks of butter (for a total of 2 tablespoons).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the 2 tablespoons cold butter and work it in with a pastry blender or your fingers until no large lumps remain. Add the vanilla, milk, and eggs.
- Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until a dough begins to form, then switch to the dough hook and knead until a cohesive, but quite sticky dough forms, about 5 to 7 minutes. The dough wont completely clean the bowl and will stick a bit at the bottom. (You can also complete this step in a bread machine on the dough cycle.)
- Scrape the dough into a ball, and transfer it to a floured work surface. Cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the butter.
- Make the Butter Block: Cut each stick of butter in half lengthwise, to make 8 long rectangles. On a piece of floured parchment or plastic wrap, line up 4 of the butter pieces side by side, to form a rectangle. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and cover with another piece of parchment or plastic wrap.
- Gently pound and roll the butter until its about 6″ x 9″. The pieces may or may not meld together.
- Repeat with the remaining 4 pieces of butter. You should now have two butter rectangles, about 6″ x 9″ each.
- Laminate the Dough: Roll the dough into a rectangle 12″ wide x 24″ long. Place one of the butter pieces onto the center third of the dough. Fold one side over the butter to cover it. Place the other butter piece atop the folded-over dough, and fold the remaining dough up over it. Pinch the open ends and side closed.
- Turn the dough so a 12″ side is closest to you. Roll the dough into a 10″ x 24″ rectangle. Fold each side into the center; then fold one side over the other to make a rectangular packet about 6″ x 10″.
- Dust the surface of the dough with flour, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and again roll it into a rectangle about 10″ x 24″. Fold it into a packet as you did in step #9; itll be about 7″ x 12″. Roll one final time, fold into a packet, and flour the dough lightly. Wrap loosely (but completely) in plastic, and chill it for at least 2 hours, or up to 16 hours.
- Make the Cheese Filling (if using): Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until smooth.
- Assemble the Pastries: When youre ready to make pastries, remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and cut off one-third. Youll work with this piece first; re-wrap and return the remainder to the refrigerator.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball, then flatten the balls into 3″ to 3 1/2″ rounds, making the center thinner than the edges. You want to build up a slight wall of dough all around the circumference; this will help hold the filling. Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Working with one-half of the remaining dough at a time, repeat the process; youll finish with three baking sheets, each with 12 dough rounds.
- Cover the Danish lightly with greased plastic wrap, and let them rise for about 1 hour; theyll become slightly puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Use your fingers to press the centers of the dough rounds as flat as possible, leaving the “sidewalls” puffed. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling into the well of each round.
- Make the Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water. Brush the exposed edges of the pastries with the egg wash.
- Bake the Pastries: Bake the pastries, one pan at a time, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and milk to make a “drizzlable” glaze. If the glaze is too thick, add just a splash more milk at a time until the correct consistency is reached.
- Drizzle the glaze atop the pastries. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Use very cool butter. Make sure the butter is extremely cold when you make the butter block. Even slightly warm butter won’t work into the dough. If the butter blocks seem too soft once they’re shaped, pop them into the refrigerator to firm up before continuing with the lamination process.
- This can be a two-day recipe. Don’t feel you need to rush through this recipe in one afternoon. You can tackle this recipe in one day or split it into a more manageable two-day project. Simply leave the laminated dough in the refrigerator overnight and continue assembling and baking the next day.
- Use different shapes. Feel free to experiment with different shapes of dough. As mentioned above, I had the most consistent success with circular Danishes, but trying something new is always fun!
- Enjoy right away. Baked Danish pastries are best enjoyed the same day they are made for optimal flakiness and freshness. However, they keep well in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the Dough: If you’d like to freeze all or part of the Danish pastry dough before assembling and filling, follow the recipe through Step #11. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then wrap the portion of dough you want to freeze in two layers of plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, then proceed with the recipe as written.
- Freeze Assembled Pastries: To freeze assembled, unbaked pastries, follow the recipe through Step #17 (filling the pastries). Place pastries on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until they are completely frozen through, at least 3 hours. Transfer the pastries to an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen (don’t forget the egg wash!), adding an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze Baked Danishes: To freeze baked Danish pastries, allow them to cool completely to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Watch How to Make Danish Pastry:
If you make these pastries and love them, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you! ❤️️
Binging with Babish: Raspberry Danish from Ant Man & The Wasp
FAQ
What is another name for Danish pastry?
What is the difference between Danish pastry and croissant dough?
What is the closest thing to puff pastry?
Is Danish made from puff pastry?
What is the difference between puff pastry and Danish dough?
The main difference between puff pastry and Danish dough is the yeast. Puff pastry does not have any yeast. Another defining difference is texture. Puff pastry has flakier layers that almost crumble as you bite into them. Danish is flaky too, but it has a fluffier texture.
What is the difference between Danish pastry and Danish pastry?
The end result is a pastry that is light and crispy with a delicate crunch. On the other hand, Danish pastry has a more doughy and soft texture. It is made with yeast, which gives it a slightly denser texture and a glossy, shiny appearance. The dough is also flavored with sugar and butter, which gives it a slightly sweet taste.
What is Danish pastry dough?
Danish pastry dough is a type of multi-layered, yeast-leavened, buttery, and sweet pastry dough. It is considered a laminate dough because of the multiple thin layers that are divided between layers of butter.
Should Danish pastry dough be refrigerated?
Keep the flour to a minimum. If the dough gets sticky when rolling out, don’t add more flour. The dough gets sticky because it is getting warm. Instead, place the dough back in the fridge to chill. For best results, store your danish pastry dough folded with parchment paper in the freezer or refrigerator.