Easy Danish Recipe

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This easy danish recipe is perfect for brunch or breakfast any time of the year! Try a variety of different fillings for a delicious assortment!

These yummy assorted danishes would be perfect for a spring brunch!  Actually they would be great for Christmas breakfast or any breakfast throughout the year, too.  The most time consuming part of this easy danish recipe is the time it takes for the dough to rise.  The other steps are fairly quick and simple so you're sure to love this from scratch recipe!

How to make your own Danish:

• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and ½ Tbs. of sugar in the warm water.  Let that get foamy while you do the next couple steps.
• In a mixing bowl whisk 2 cups of flour, 1 ½ Tbs. Sugar, and salt together.  Cut in the slightly softened butter until the mixture is crumbly.
• Pour the yeast mixture, egg yolks and slightly warmed milk into the flour mixture. 
• Mix well and add up to a ½ cup more flour to form a soft dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled.  This is a slow rising dough.  Rising until doubled took an hour and a half for me.
• Dump risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll the dough out to just a little more than ¼ inch thick.

• Using a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough out into 2 ½ inch circles. 
• Place up to 12 circles on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Cover and let double.  This takes 45 minutes to an hour.
• If you are going to fill with the mascarpone filling, mix the filling ingredients together when the dough is close to doubled. 
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Press the centers of the raised circles down using a tablespoon or the back of an ⅛ cup measuring cup. 
• Place a small spoonful (between ½ and 1 tablespoon) of filling in each center. 
• Top the mascarpone filling with sliced almonds. 
• Bake the danishes at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.  The bottoms will be golden brown.  Cool and drizzle with almond icing.

Is Danish the same as puff pastry?

Not quite but they are very similar. Puff pastry is typically very flaky due to it's many layers.  This recipe is more of an "American" style Danish rather than a Classic Danish.  

Do these Danish freeze well?

Yes, they do!  Just make sure they are completely cool before wrapping them up and popping them in the freezer. More of my favorite breakfast recipes! Wild Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Breakfast Strawberry Shortcake Berries & Cream Croissant French Toast Have you tried this recipe? Leave me a rating and a comment below!

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Easy Danish Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Mindee
• Prep Time: 3 hours (this includes rising time)
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 18-24 Danishes 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

This easy danish recipe is perfect for brunch or breakfast any time of the year! Try a variety of different fillings for a delicious assortment!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Danish Dough

• 1 package or 2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
• ½ Tbs. Sugar
• ¼ Cup Warm Water
• 2 ½ Cups Flour
• 1 ½ Tbs. Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 6 Tbs slightly softened Butter
• 2 Egg Yolks
• ½ Cup slightly warmed Milk

Mascarpone Filling

• 8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese, softened
• ¼ Cup Sugar
• 2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 4 Tbs. Flour
• 1 ½ cups Almond Slices

Assorted Pie Fillings can be used also.  See note at end.

Almond Glaze

• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Almond extract
• about 2 Tbs. Milk

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, ½ Tbs. Sugar, and the warm water.  Allow  the yeast to get foamy while you do the next step.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, 1 ½ Tbs. Sugar, and the salt.  Cut the butter in until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Add the foamy yeast, egg yolks and slightly warmed milk.
4. Add enough of the remaining half cup of flour to form a soft dough.
5. Cover and allow to rise until doubled. (About 1 ½ hours)
6. Dump risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a little more than ¼ inch thick.
7. Using a 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 18-24 circles.
8. Place the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet and allow to rise until doubled. (45 to 60 minutes)
9. When just about doubled preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the filling.
10. For the mascarpone filling.  Beat the mascarpone, sugar, almond extract, egg yolk and flour together until smooth.
11. Press the centers of the doubled dough circles down using the back of a tablespoon or the back of an ⅛ cup.
12. Fill the centers with a heaping ½ Tablespoon of filling.  Press the sliced almond onto the top of the mascarpone filling.
13. Bake the danishes at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.  The bottoms will be golden brown.
14. While the danish cools combine all the almond icing ingredients until smooth.  Drizzle the icing over the cooled danishes.
15. Serve or store in an airtight container.

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Notes

The amount of filling needed for a single batch of these danish is one recipe of the mascarpone filling or one can of pie filling of your choice.

This recipe was inspired by Taste of Home's Almond-Cheese Coffee Cake

Keywords: christmas, breakfast, danish, coffee cake

Any nutritional analysis on this Site is based on an estimate, calculated by Nurtifox plugin (or other third-party source) from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information.