This Raspberry Danish is an easy, comforting breakfast that comes together fast with puff pastry. It has a bright raspberry filling that isn’t too sweet, tangy cream cheese and a light vanilla glaze.
I love slow weekend mornings because they bring simple treats like this Danish and Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins back to the table. Breakfast pastries are my favorite, especially when they taste homemade but don’t take all morning.
Ingredients
Here’s what I use for this recipe and you can always make substitutions if you prefer.
- Frozen red raspberries: Use straight from frozen so the filling cooks slowly and keeps some berry pieces.
- Granulated cane sugar: Sweetens the tart berries and helps the filling become glossy.
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness and keeps the raspberry flavor from tasting flat.
- Cornstarch: Stir with the cold water before adding so the filling thickens without lumps.
- Cold water: Combines with the cornstarch to form a smooth slurry.
- Full-fat block cream cheese: Bring to 68°F so it mixes smoothly and stays thick inside the pastry.
- Powdered cane sugar: Divide into 3 tablespoons for the cream cheese, 3/4 cup for glaze and 1 tablespoon for dusting.
- Pure vanilla extract: Divide evenly between the cream cheese filling and the glaze.
- All-butter puff pastry: Use one 14-ounce package and keep both sheets below 45°F before shaping.
- Unbleached all-purpose flour: Use lightly for rolling so the pastry doesn’t stick or absorb excess flour.
- Large egg: Beat with 1 tablespoon whole milk for a glossy golden wash.
- Whole milk: Divide between the egg wash and the vanilla glaze.
Tools You’ll Need
- 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan: A 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan thickens the raspberry filling evenly, while a thin pan creates hot spots that scorch the sugar.
- Large clear glass mixing bowl: A 3-quart clear glass bowl gives enough room to smooth the cream cheese, while a narrow bowl leaves unmixed lumps along the sides.
- 10-inch rolling pin: A straight 10-inch rolling pin keeps both pastry sheets even, while a tapered pin can leave thin edges that leak filling.
- 18×13-inch rimmed aluminum sheet pan: A light 18×13-inch aluminum sheet pan gives all 8 pastries two inches of space, while a dark pan can burn their bottoms.
- Parchment paper: A full sheet of oven-safe parchment catches berry leaks and releases the pastries cleanly, while wax paper can melt and smoke.
- Instant-read thermometer: An instant-read thermometer confirms the filling reaches 70°F and the pastries cool below 100°F, while guessing can melt the pastry butter or glaze.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the raspberry filling
Set a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat at about 5 on a 10-dial. Add the frozen raspberries, granulated cane sugar and fresh lemon juice. Cook for 6 minutes while stirring every 30 seconds. Then press about one-third of the berries against the pan with a spoon.
Stir the cornstarch with cold water and pour it in during the final 2 minutes. The filling should turn glossy and thick enough to leave a clean trail across the pan. You’ll hear the bubbling slow and smell a sharp raspberry aroma. Stop at 8 to 10 minutes total.
Go past 12 minutes and the filling turns gummy after cooling. Cool it to 70°F for 20 minutes before shaping. A brief starch boil sets the filling without making it rubbery.
Tip: Spread the hot filling in a shallow layer so it reaches 70°F about 10 minutes faster.
Step 2: Mix the cream cheese filling
Bring the full-fat block cream cheese to 68°F before mixing. Beat it with 3 tablespoons powdered cane sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for 90 seconds. Scrape the bowl halfway through. Then fold the mixture from the bottom toward the center in broad strokes for 30 seconds.
Keep the bowl at room temperature while the raspberry filling finishes cooling. The cream cheese should look smooth and softly glossy with no pale lumps. It should hold a shallow ridge when dragged across the bowl. If the cheese stays below 65°F, the filling won’t spread evenly and can tear the pastry.
Stop once the texture loosens. Overbeating for more than 3 minutes makes the filling thin. Gentle mixing keeps the cream cheese stable inside the pastry coils.
Tip: Use block cream cheese instead of whipped spread because tubs contain extra moisture and can soften the pastry base.
Step 3: Roll and slice the filled pastry
Keep both all-butter puff pastry sheets below 45°F. Roll each sheet to a 10-inch square on 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour. Spread half the cream cheese over each sheet and leave a 1/2-inch border. Spoon the cooled raspberry filling in uneven ribbons.
Roll each sheet tightly from one edge and slice each log into 4 rounds. Place all 8 rounds on the lined sheet pan with 2 inches between them. Press each center lightly so the coils sit flat. Brush with the large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk.
Chill at 38°F for 15 minutes. The pastry should feel firm and the filling should stay inside the spiral gaps. Skip the chill and butter leaks before the layers lift. Cold fat creates steam pockets that separate the pastry layers.
Tip: Use unflavored dental floss for cleaner 4-inch rounds when a knife starts compressing the chilled pastry log.
Step 4: Bake until deeply golden
Heat the oven to 400°F and bake the chilled rounds for 18 to 22 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan 180 degrees at minute 12. Don’t open the door before then. The sudden heat drop can flatten the layers.
(My first batch baked at 375°F, the centers stayed pale while the filling soaked the lower coils. ) The pastries should rise to about 1 1/4 inches with deep golden outer bands. The raspberry channels will bubble slowly and the egg-washed rims will look crisp. Pull them when the bottoms are amber and dry.
Go beyond 24 minutes and the berry edges scorch. Cool on the pan for 15 minutes. High heat sets the laminated structure before the filling can spread.
Tip: Choose a light aluminum sheet pan because dark pans can overbrown the pastry bottoms before minute 18.
Step 5: Glaze and plate one pastry
Whisk 3/4 cup powdered cane sugar with 1 tablespoon whole milk for 45 seconds. Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and whisk 15 seconds more. Wait until the pastries cool below 100°F. Then drizzle the glaze in thin uneven lines and dust with the reserved 1 tablespoon powdered cane sugar.
Let the glaze set for 8 minutes before moving one pastry to a plate. The glaze should fall in a slow ribbon and turn satin-soft on contact. Cut one pastry through the center so the pale cream cheese and red raspberry spiral stay visible. If the pastry is hotter than 100°F, the glaze melts into a clear film.
Serve while the edges still crackle. Cooling first keeps the glaze opaque and the pastry crisp.
Tip: Drizzle from 6 inches above the pastry so the glaze forms thin bakery-style lines instead of heavy puddles.
Pro Tips
- Keep the puff pastry below 45°F during shaping because warm butter smears into the dough and blocks flaky layers.
- Cool the raspberry filling to 70°F before spreading it, or the pastry butter will soften within 2 minutes.
- Leave exactly 2 inches between the 8 rounds so hot air reaches every edge and the spirals don’t fuse together.
- Use a light 18×13-inch aluminum pan because dark metal can overbrown the bottoms before the centers reach minute 18.
- Rotate the sheet pan at minute 12, but don’t open the oven earlier because the first steam burst builds the layers.
- Pull the pastries when the bottoms look amber and dry, usually between 18 and 22 minutes at 400°F.
- Wait until each pastry cools below 100°F before glazing, so the white lines stay opaque instead of disappearing.
- Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the cream cheese filling for a sharper berry-citrus flavor.
- Replace 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with almond extract and scatter 1/4 cup sliced almonds over the egg wash.
- Fold 1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips into the cream cheese filling for a richer dessert-style pastry.
- Replace 1 cup raspberries with 1 cup frozen blueberries and cook the mixed berry filling for the same 8 to 10 minutes.
Storage Instructions
Keep cooled Raspberry Danish in a shallow airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Place parchment between layers so the glaze doesn’t stick. For longer storage, freeze each pastry uncovered for 1 hour. Then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Freeze before glazing when possible because fresh glaze keeps a cleaner white finish after reheating. Reheat refrigerated pastries at 325°F for 7 to 9 minutes. Frozen pastries need 12 to 15 minutes from frozen, then 5 minutes of cooling before glazing. Don’t microwave longer than 15 seconds because the laminated layers turn rubbery.
Discard any pastry with sour dairy odor, gray cream cheese spots or wet filling that has seeped through the base. Check the center before serving it again.
Print
Raspberry Danish
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This easy Raspberry Danish is a quick and simple brunch bake with flaky puff pastry, tangy cream cheese and bright raspberry filling. The best part is the crisp golden edge and soft berry center that smells like a bakery. The trick is chilling the shaped spirals before baking, so every layer lifts instead of leaking. It fits healthy breakfast ideas when served with fruit, and it also works for a holiday brunch, potluck or party without hours of work.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Frozen red raspberries
- 1/3 cup Granulated cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Cold water
- 8 ounces Full-fat block cream cheese
- 1 cup Powdered cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 sheets All-butter puff pastry
- 1 tablespoon Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 large Large egg
- 2 tablespoons Whole milk
Instructions
- Set a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat at about 5 on a 10-dial. Add the frozen raspberries, granulated cane sugar and fresh lemon juice. Cook for 6 minutes while stirring every 30 seconds. Then press about one-third of the berries against the pan with a spoon. Stir the cornstarch with cold water and pour it in during the final 2 minutes. The filling should turn glossy and thick enough to leave a clean trail across the pan. You’ll hear the bubbling slow and smell a sharp raspberry aroma. Stop at 8 to 10 minutes total. Go past 12 minutes and the filling turns gummy after cooling. Cool it to 70°F for 20 minutes before shaping. A brief starch boil sets the filling without making it rubbery.
- Bring the full-fat block cream cheese to 68°F before mixing. Beat it with 3 tablespoons powdered cane sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for 90 seconds. Scrape the bowl halfway through. Then fold the mixture from the bottom toward the center in broad strokes for 30 seconds. Keep the bowl at room temperature while the raspberry filling finishes cooling. The cream cheese should look smooth and softly glossy with no pale lumps. It should hold a shallow ridge when dragged across the bowl. If the cheese stays below 65°F, the filling won’t spread evenly and can tear the pastry. Stop once the texture loosens. Overbeating for more than 3 minutes makes the filling thin. Gentle mixing keeps the cream cheese stable inside the pastry coils.
- Keep both all-butter puff pastry sheets below 45°F. Roll each sheet to a 10-inch square on 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour. Spread half the cream cheese over each sheet and leave a 1/2-inch border. Spoon the cooled raspberry filling in uneven ribbons. Roll each sheet tightly from one edge and slice each log into 4 rounds. Place all 8 rounds on the lined sheet pan with 2 inches between them. Press each center lightly so the coils sit flat. Brush with the large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk. Chill at 38°F for 15 minutes. The pastry should feel firm and the filling should stay inside the spiral gaps. Skip the chill and butter leaks before the layers lift. Cold fat creates steam pockets that separate the pastry layers.
- Heat the oven to 400°F and bake the chilled rounds for 18 to 22 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan 180 degrees at minute 12. Don’t open the door before then. The sudden heat drop can flatten the layers. (My first batch baked at 375°F, the centers stayed pale while the filling soaked the lower coils.) The pastries should rise to about 1 1/4 inches with deep golden outer bands. The raspberry channels will bubble slowly and the egg-washed rims will look crisp. Pull them when the bottoms are amber and dry. Go beyond 24 minutes and the berry edges scorch. Cool on the pan for 15 minutes. High heat sets the laminated structure before the filling can spread.
- Whisk 3/4 cup powdered cane sugar with 1 tablespoon whole milk for 45 seconds. Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and whisk 15 seconds more. Wait until the pastries cool below 100°F. Then drizzle the glaze in thin uneven lines and dust with the reserved 1 tablespoon powdered cane sugar. Let the glaze set for 8 minutes before moving one pastry to a plate. The glaze should fall in a slow ribbon and turn satin-soft on contact. Cut one pastry through the center so the pale cream cheese and red raspberry spiral stay visible. If the pastry is hotter than 100°F, the glaze melts into a clear film. Serve while the edges still crackle. Cooling first keeps the glaze opaque and the pastry crisp.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Keep the puff pastry below 45°F during shaping because warm butter smears into the dough and blocks flaky layers.
- Cool the raspberry filling to 70°F before spreading it, or the pastry butter will soften within 2 minutes.
- Leave exactly 2 inches between the 8 rounds so hot air reaches every edge and the spirals don’t fuse together.
- Use a light 18×13-inch aluminum pan because dark metal can overbrown the bottoms before the centers reach minute 18.
- Rotate the sheet pan at minute 12, but don’t open the oven earlier because the first steam burst builds the layers.
- Pull the pastries when the bottoms look amber and dry, usually between 18 and 22 minutes at 400°F.
- Wait until each pastry cools below 100°F before glazing, so the white lines stay opaque instead of disappearing.
Storage: Keep cooled Raspberry Danish in a shallow airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Place parchment between layers so the glaze doesn’t stick. For longer storage, freeze each pastry uncovered for 1 hour. Then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Freeze before glazing when possible because fresh glaze keeps a cleaner white finish after reheating. Reheat refrigerated pastries at 325°F for 7 to 9 minutes. Frozen pastries need 12 to 15 minutes from frozen, then 5 minutes of cooling before glazing. Don’t microwave longer than 15 seconds because the laminated layers turn rubbery. Discard any pastry with sour dairy odor, gray cream cheese spots or wet filling that has seeped through the base. Check the center before serving it again.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American bakery-style
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (of 8)
- Calories: 347
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 117mg
- Fat: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 4g
- Cholesterol: 52mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Shape the 8 spirals and refrigerate them at 38°F for up to 12 hours before baking. Keep them tightly covered so the pastry edges don’t dry out, then brush with egg wash just before the 400°F oven.
The cornstarch must bubble for 2 full minutes after you add the slurry. If the mixture only warms, the starch won’t fully activate and liquid will seep into the pastry. Cool the filling to 70°F before spreading because warm filling also melts the butter layers.
Yes, but bake 16 pastries on two separate 18×13-inch sheet pans. Keep 2 inches between every round and rotate both pans at minute 12. Swap the upper and lower racks then, so both batches reach deep golden color around minute 22.
Freeze unglazed pastries in a single layer for 1 hour, then wrap each one and store for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 325°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before adding fresh glaze.
They can, but the pastries will rise less and the center will stay softer. Use block-style dairy-free cream cheese and chill the shaped gluten-free spirals for 25 minutes. Bake at 400°F and watch for amber bottoms rather than relying only on height.
Serve one warm pastry with plain Greek yogurt and fresh berries for brunch. For a larger spread, add eggs and coffee, then warm the danishes at 325°F for 7 minutes right before serving. The tart filling pairs best with unsweetened drinks.
Final Thoughts
If you try this recipe, I really hope you love it as much as my family does. It has become one of those breakfast treats we just keep coming back to, no matter the season.
Drop a comment below and let me know how yours turned out. And if you’re looking for more easy sweet ideas, make sure to try our Raspberry Colada and Classic Banana Pudding.
I’m always adding new recipes that are simple, satisfying and perfect for relaxed weekends.
