Classic Danish Dough Pastries

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Vanilla: Extract Medium

A yeast dough enriched with milk and egg, laminated with butter and folded into jam-centered squares. Makes 16 pastries in about 11 hr 20 min.

Prep 60 min

Cook 20 min

Cooling 10 hr

Total 11 hr 20 min

Yield 16 pastries

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pastries

4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (60 g)granulated sugar
1 ¼ tsp (8 g)fine salt
¼ oz (10 g)instant yeast
2 (100 g)eggs
⅔ cup (150 ml)cold whole milk
1 tsp (5 ml)pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp (40 g)unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
1 cup (250 g)unsalted butter, cold, for the butter block
⅓ cup (120 g)thick jam
1 (50 g)egg, beaten, for glaze
½ cup (60 g)powdered sugar, for the icing
1 ½ tbsp (20 ml)milk, for the icing

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Instructions

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, eggs, milk, vanilla and 40 g butter into a smooth dough, 5 minutes in a mixer. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Pound the cold 250 g butter into a 7x7-inch square and keep chilled.
Roll the dough into a 14x7-inch rectangle, enclose the butter in it and seal the edges.
Roll to 24 inches long and fold in thirds. Chill 30 minutes. Repeat two more times.
Roll to 1/4 inch thick and 16x16 inches; cut sixteen 4-inch squares.
Place a spoonful of jam in each center. Fold two opposite corners to the middle and press to seal, or fold into a pinwheel.
Proof 90 minutes at 75 F (24 C) until puffy. Brush with egg.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 18 to 20 minutes until deep golden. Cool, then glaze with the milk and powdered sugar stirred together.

Tips

Keep the dough cold or butter will leak while baking.
Thick jam stays in place; thin jam runs out.
Danish dough can be frozen shaped before proofing.
Good with coffee.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make classic danish dough pastries?

Plan on 60 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 10 hours to chill. The recipe makes 16 pastries.

How should I store classic danish dough pastries?

Best the day they are made; store covered up to 2 days or freeze baked pastries up to 1 month.

Can I make classic danish dough pastries ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

317 Calories / serving

16.3g Fat

37.3g Carbs

5.1g Protein

11.8g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~5072 cal · 261g fat · 597g carbs · 82g protein · 189g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.