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Danish Pastries with Shortcut Homemade Dough Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 141 reviews
  • Author: Mariam
  • Total Time: 5 hours (includes chilling times)
  • Yield: 16 pastries 1x

Description

This recipe for Danish Pastries features a shortcut homemade dough method using butter crumbled into flour and minimal mixing for flaky, tender layers. The dough is enriched with milk, eggs, and yeast, then chilled and folded to create classic laminated pastry layers. Filled with your choice of fruit or cheese filling, these pastries are baked to golden perfection and finished with a simple vanilla icing drizzle. Ideal for impressing guests or a special breakfast treat, they combine rich buttery flavor with tender, flaky texture.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) warm water (100-110°F, 38-43°C)
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star (1 standard packet)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature (68–72°F, 20-22°C)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 14 Tablespoons (196g) unsalted butter, cold
  • 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for dusting

For the Filling

  • 2/3 cup fruity filling or cheese filling (see recipe notes for options)

For the Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk

For the Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preliminary note: Read through the entire recipe and watch the tutorial if available to fully understand the process. Avoid using an electric mixer; the dough is sticky and best folded gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
  2. Make the Pastry Dough: Whisk warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl. Cover and let rest until foamy (about 5 minutes). If no foam after 15 minutes, restart with fresh yeast. Then add remaining sugar, milk, egg, and salt; mix gently and cover.
  3. Prepare the Butter-Flour Mixture: Slice cold butter into 1/4 inch slices. Blend butter and flour in a food processor with 12-15 pulses until butter pieces are pea-sized. Alternatively, use a pastry cutter to work butter into flour.
  4. Combine Dough: Pour flour-butter mixture into wet ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until combined; butter should remain in small chunks for flakiness. Turn dough onto plastic wrap or parchment.
  5. First Refrigeration: Wrap dough tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 48 hours.
  6. Roll & Fold: Remove dough and generously flour surface and hands. Flatten dough with palms, then roll into a 15×8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a letter, turn clockwise, and roll/fold two more times for total three folds.
  7. Second Refrigeration: Wrap dough tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. Dough can be frozen here.
  8. Prepare for Baking: Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Remove dough, cut in half. Work with one half and keep the other refrigerated or freeze.
  9. Shape into Pastries: Cut dough half into 8 equal pieces (~1/4 cup each). Roll into balls, flatten to 2.5 inch circles, create a raised edge with fingers, and press center down. Arrange on baking sheet 3 inches apart. Repeat with other half.
  10. Add Filling: Spoon 2 teaspoons fruit filling or 1 tablespoon cheese filling into center of each pastry.
  11. Apply Egg Wash: Whisk egg and milk; brush over edges of pastries.
  12. Chill Pastries (Optional): Refrigerate shaped pastries for 15 minutes to 1 hour to help maintain shape during baking. Preheat oven during chilling.
  13. Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake pastries 19-22 minutes until golden brown and edges are crisp. If butter leaks, remove halfway and brush butter back on dough, then continue baking.
  14. Cool: Remove from oven and cool at least 5 minutes before icing.
  15. Make Icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract together. Adjust thickness with more sugar or milk as desired.
  16. Ice and Serve: Drizzle icing over warm pastries and serve.
  17. Storage: Store leftover pastries covered at room temperature for 1 day, refrigerated up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently before serving if desired.

Notes

  • Do not use an electric mixer for the dough to avoid overworking and melting butter.
  • Use a food processor or blender to cut the butter into flour quickly for best texture; pastry cutter works as alternative.
  • Generously flour the surface and hands throughout rolling as dough is sticky.
  • Filling options include fruit jams, preserves, or sweetened cream cheese.
  • Leaving shaped pastries to chill before baking helps them hold their shape and improves flakiness.
  • Use rimmed baking sheets or place a second sheet underneath to catch any leaking butter.
  • Danish pastries freeze well after the second refrigeration or after baking and icing.
  • Reheat leftovers in microwave briefly to restore softness and warmth.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes (mostly active prep before refrigeration)
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast Pastry
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Danish/European

Keywords: Danish pastries, homemade pastry dough, shortcut laminated dough, butter pastry, breakfast pastries, fruit-filled pastries, cream cheese filling, baking pastries, easy Danish

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Find it online: https://aromaofgrandma.com/danish-pastries-with-shortcut-homemade-dough-recipe/