Homemade Breakfast Danish Pastries
Total Time
6 hours, 25 minutes
Prep Time
6 hours (includes chilling)
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(265)
Ingredients
16 pastries
- 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, plus more for generously flouring hands, surface, and dough
- 2/3 cup filling (see recipe notes for options & cheese filling)
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Preparation
Step 1
To help guarantee success, read through the recipe, watch the video tutorial, and read the explanations below. Do not use an electric mixer for this dough.
Step 2
Whisk warm water, yeast, and 1 Tablespoon (6g) of sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and allow to rest until foamy on top, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk in remaining sugar, milk, egg, and salt. Lightly cover and set the bowl aside.
Step 4
Cut cold butter into 1/4 inch slices and add to a food processor or blender. Top with 2 and 1/2 cups flour. Pulse the mixture 12-15 times until butter is crumbled into pea-size bits.
Step 5
Pour the flour mixture into the wet yeast mixture. Gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Step 6
Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours.
Step 7
Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Generously flour a work surface and roll out the dough into a 15x8 inch rectangle.
Step 8
Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Turn it clockwise and roll it out into a 15-inch rectangle again. Repeat folding and rolling twice more, for a total of three times.
Step 9
Wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Step 10
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 11
Cut the dough in half. Wrap one half and refrigerate. Cut the other half into 8 even pieces and roll each into balls. Flatten each into a 2.5-inch circle.
Step 12
Spoon 2 teaspoons of filling inside each pastry.
Step 13
Whisk egg wash ingredients together and brush on the edges of each pastry.
Step 14
Chill the pastries in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Step 15
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Step 16
Bake for 19-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 17
Cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with icing.
Step 18
Whisk the icing ingredients together and drizzle over warm pastries.
Step 19
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Chef's notes
You can make the dough ahead and refrigerate up to 48 hours or freeze the dough for up to 1 month.
Use jam, fruit preserves, pumpkin butter, apple butter, lemon curd, cherry pie filling, or Nutella for filling.
Chilling the shaped pastries helps maintain their shape in the oven.
