Print

Danish Pastries with Shortcut Homemade Dough Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 139 reviews

These Danish Pastries feature a shortcut homemade dough that is flaky, buttery, and easy to prepare with minimal mixing. Using a unique method of folding cold butter into flour via a food processor and strategically chilling the dough, the recipe delivers classic Danish-style pastries filled with fruity or cheese fillings and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) warm water (between 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 (between 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 generously flouring hands, surface, and dough

For the Filling

  • 2/3 cup filling (fruity 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 video tutorial if available to understand the process. Avoid electric mixers as the dough requires minimal mixing and is sticky; folding gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula is best.
  2. Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, whisk warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover and rest until foamy (about 5 minutes). If no foam after 15 minutes, use new yeast. Then whisk in remaining sugar, milk, egg, and salt. Cover lightly and set aside.
  3. Prepare Butter-Flour Mixture: Cut cold butter into 1/4-inch slices. Using a food processor or blender, add butter and flour, pulsing 12-15 times until butter pieces are pea-sized. If no processor, use a pastry cutter to incorporate butter.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the flour-butter mixture into the wet yeast mixture. Gently fold just until dry ingredients are moistened—do not overmix to keep butter in pieces for flakiness. Turn the sticky dough onto plastic wrap or into a covered container.
  5. First Refrigeration: Wrap tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours to firm up.
  6. Roll and Fold Dough: Remove dough from fridge. Generously flour work surface and dough. Flatten gently by hand, then roll into a 15×8 inch rectangle. Fold dough into thirds like a letter, turn clockwise, and repeat rolling and folding two more times for a total of three folds.
  7. Second Refrigeration: Wrap dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Dough can also be frozen at this stage.
  8. Prepare for Shaping: Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Remove dough, cut in half, keep one half refrigerated while working with the first half. Optionally, freeze half for later use.
  9. Shape Pastries: Cut half dough into 8 equal pieces (about 1/4 cup each). Roll into balls, then flatten to 2.5-inch circles. Use fingers to form a lip around edges and press center down to create room for filling. Place pastries about 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Repeat with second half.
  10. Add Filling: Spoon about 2 teaspoons of fruity filling or 1 tablespoon of cheese filling into the center of each pastry.
  11. Egg Wash: Whisk egg and milk together. Brush the edges of each pastry with the egg wash for shine and golden color.
  12. Chill Pastries (Optional but Recommended): Refrigerate shaped pastries, covered or uncovered, for 15 minutes to 1 hour to help set shape and aid baking.
  13. Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 400°F (204°C).
  14. Bake: Bake pastries for 19-22 minutes until edges are golden brown. Butter may leak during baking—this is normal. Optionally, brush leaking butter back onto dough halfway through baking.
  15. Cool Pastries: Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before icing or serving.
  16. Make Icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk or heavy cream, and vanilla together. Adjust consistency by adding more sugar or liquid as desired.
  17. Glaze and Serve: Drizzle icing over warm pastries and serve.
  18. Storage: Store leftover pastries at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated up to 5 days. Pastries can be frozen up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers briefly in the microwave before serving.

Notes

  • Do not use an electric mixer for the dough; gentle folding preserves the butter pieces for flaky layers.
  • Cold butter pieces in the dough create the signature flakiness of Danish pastries.
  • Chilling the dough before and after folding layers enhances texture and makes handling easier.
  • Rimmed baking sheets are recommended to catch any leaking butter during baking.
  • You can customize the filling with fruit preserves or a sweetened cheese filling based on preference.
  • Chilling shaped pastries before baking helps them hold their shape and bake more evenly.
  • Leftover pastries can be frozen either as dough or baked goods for convenience.

Keywords: Danish pastries, shortcut dough, homemade pastries, flaky dough, buttery pastries, breakfast pastries, fruit filling, cheese filling, easy pastry dough

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